#but the original trilogy movies???? dead. i want them dead in a ditch with a knife through the gut

[fix-me-sixteen]

i believe in letting people enjoy adaptations and not ruining people's fun even if they aren't completely accurate to the original. except when it comes to thg

i believe in letting people ship what they want to ship and interpret how they want to interpret, even if it goes against the author's original vision. except when it comes to thg

[unexpectedreylo]

TLJ One Year Later

The first time I saw TLJ (Saturday December 16, 2017), I liked it a lot (thanks, Reylo) though I sure seemed kind of bitchy about it in my initial review posted on my prequel fan site.  

The second time I saw TLJ, the day after Christmas, I loved it.  I have some issues with it, but the issues I have aren’t unique to this film and probably won’t be resolved until IX, or have to do with worldbuilding (I didn’t understand the conflict between the Resistance and the First Order and what it was all about until I read the TLJ novelization) and drawing out the best from the creature/alien design department.  While I’m happy to see new creatures and the like, not many other than the porgs would get the coveted “fabuloso” stamp or even the Plo Kool one.  And would it kill them to throw in a Hutt, a Rodian, a Togruta, a Zabrak, or a Twi’lek every now and then to remind us it’s in the same galaxy?  It’s like company policy to never include anything other than Chewbacca or Ackbar, and he’s dead now.

Enough of that.  Now on to what makes the movie great.

Luke’s turn in this movie was and remains a point of controversy.  I admit, as an old Star Wars fan it was kind of hard to watch the first time even though I thought Hamill did a great job and I thought Luke’s death was pitch-perfect.  I mean, would Luke do what he did?  The second time I saw the movie though, it didn’t seem quite so harsh.  Rian Johnson didn’t pull this right out of his kiester (it was actually one of the plot points taken from Lucas’s original outline) and he didn’t write Luke this way just for the sake of destroying an icon (which I suspect is the real reason why some fans have taken this so personally).  If anything, Johnson is saying, “Forget about the Luke in your head, rewatch the movies and really pay attention this time.”  One thing those of us getting older don’t like to admit is our flaws and weaknesses are often baked into our personalities and they’re difficult to overcome or change.  Luke for all of his virtues was always temperamental, reckless, impatient, and took failure personally.  He was probably more haunted by Darth Vader and his family’s legacy than he wanted to admit.  From that prism it becomes plausible that he would act rashly when faced with Ben’s darkness and suffer a crisis of faith because of those actions and their consequences.  As a Skywalker, of course he would be extra enough to exile himself to an obscure island, cut himself off from the Force, and disown the Jedi religion.

Another point of controversy is the whole thread with Finn and Rose and their excursion to Canto Bight.  I understand why people lose patience with this part of the movie.  The stuff with Rey, Kylo, and Luke are so good and so engrossing, anything else seems like an annoying distraction.  I would’ve traded a few minutes of this part for more time with our space wizards.  I could’ve just watched them for 2.5 hours straight.  That said, I really don’t think this sequence is worth the angst and drama.  There’s a trajectory they’re taking with Finn and I think this part is an important part of his development.  The thing with driving down a dark road with this trilogy is we won’t see where that ends until IX. And I love the visuals and the exhilaration of the chase scene.

So yes, the parts of the film with Luke, Rey, and Kylo punch greatness in the face from a writing standpoint, from an acting standpoint, and from a visual standpoint.  Kylo and Rey’s scenes in particular remain beautiful on every level. This is what elevates Star Wars from your basic blockbuster entertainment and what elevates the sequel trilogy in particular.  These scenes are mysterious, mystical, emotional, erotic, and riveting.  The hand touching scene is still one of the most visually-evocative expressions of the need for connection I’ve ever seen.  If you’re going to credit Rian Johnson for anything, it’s taking characters you might have thought were two-dimensional or who had fit into predetermined roles and making them infinitely more fascinating.  Ditching Kylo’s mask to get the most out of Adam Driver’s amazing performance was the single best decision Johnson made.  Rey benefits from Daisy Ridley’s natural charm and effervescence but she shows a vulnerability that further humanizes our heroine.  I came to care for both Kylo and Rey to a degree I’d never expected.  

There are many other things I love about the movie:  Paige’s sacrifice during the bombing raid at the beginning, the Raddus cutting right through the Supremacy, any scene with Hux and Kylo (I love their anti-bromance), the visuals on Crait, the natural beauty of Ahch-To, Yoda’s surprise cameo, all of the prequel references/influences, weirdo chaotic neutral DJ, homicidal BB-8,  Rose’s spunkiness, that part where Leia stuns Poe, Artoo’s scenes with Luke, and Luke’s reunion with Leia.  And of course, porgs.

It’s said the film is about failure and it is but above all, TLJ is a smart meditation on heroism.  What makes a hero?  It’s not bravado, it’s not brashness, it’s not destiny, or hereditary traits.  All it takes is courage and heart.  And who can be a hero?  Anyone, somebodies and nobodies.  “Good guy” and “bad guy.”  Heroes are human too, capable of failure, suffering, guilt, fear, hatred, anger, and recklessness.  Yet it’s never too late to come back from them.  And instead of selling iconoclasm, TLJ actually advocates for the value of legends.  (It took me until the second viewing to realize this.)  The Broom Kid--I’d nicknamed him Barry Broomstein--is inspired in the end by the legend of Luke Skywalker, just as many others will be (as we’ll likely see in IX).  When you realize this, it’s kind of hard to argue TLJ was made by a madman who either hates Star Wars or doesn’t understand it.  

TLJ is the most challenging, interesting, beautiful, and bold non-Lucas Star Wars movie to date.  It exemplifies “go big or go home.”  Just as TESB was a bold follow up to what was the biggest box office hit of all time, TLJ was a bold follow up to current box office king TFA.  

[aion-rsa]

The Matrix 4 Trailer Breakdown: Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, and…Smith?!

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The moment Matrix fans have been waiting for has finally arrived. The next chapter of Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus’ story is almost here and Warner Bros. has a trailer to prove it. It’s an action-packed first look at Resurrections, a sequel that seems to take the franchise in new directions, and introduces quite a few new mysteries to the already complex lore of The Matrix, all accompanied by Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit.”

While it refreshingly plays things very close to the chest at a time when most trailers give away 2/3 of the plot, I’ve tried my best to dissect the trailer for some answers. But as you’ll find in the breakdown below, I’ve mostly been left with more questions and tons of excitement for this movie. Plus, a few theories.

Before I get to it, have a look at the trailer if you haven’t already:

Okay, let’s enter the Matrix.

The Setting: Is this the Matrix or Machine Heaven?

This trailer is so disorienting, it’s unclear where this Matrix movie even takes place. These movies have always been multi-setting stories, between the big simulation, smaller programs, and the real world, but this movie’s setting is particularly vital information since it’ll explain what’s going on in some of the weirder parts of the trailer.

Our first glimpse of Neo’s life after the events of The Matrix Revolutions reveals he’s back in a simulation as Thomas Anderson, but is it the Matrix we know and love? Maybe. This idyllic city by the sea doesn’t really look like the dystopian, sprawling Mega City from the original trilogy.

You may have also noticed that the signature green tint is gone. There’s actually an explanation for that. When the Matrix was rebooted at the end of Revolutions, it came back online without the greenish hue, with Sati creating a beautiful, otherworldly sunrise (not unlike the one shining down on the bridge in the first picture) in tribute to Neo.

But there’s also the possibility that this is a completely different simulation all together. I’ve gone on about this in other articles, but I have a few theories as to where this movie takes place: 1) it’s set in the same version of the Matrix as the first three movies but rebooting the simulation meant tweaks to the city, 2) this is a completely new version of the Matrix created as a successor to the one from the original trilogy, 3) this isn’t the Matrix at all and is instead a separate digital world.

Hear me out on that last point: we watched Neo die in Revolutions, not as himself but after being assimilated by Smith. Becoming one with Smith allows the Machines to send a kill signal from the real world, deleting the rogue program once and for all. But where do programs go when they’re deleted? Reloaded refers to a vague place called “the Source,” which seems to be the central mainframe of the Machines. Programs marked for deletion are supposedly absorbed by the Source.

Since Neo died only after he turned into a Smith while in the Matrix, and his real-world body died in the Machine City, what if Neo’s digital form has somehow become stuck in some sort “machine heaven” inside the Source? This theory doesn’t necessarily track with other shots of real-world Neo later in the trailer, but it could be a possible explanation for why there’s a different version of Morpheus in this movie and why Jonathan Groff’s character tells Neo at the end of the trailer that he’s going “back to the Matrix.”

Also, maybe this is just a wink at the audience, but at one point, Neo is fighting his way out of a place called “Deus Ex Machina.” This is a reference to the Machine leader who Neo brokered peace with in Revolutions. It doesn’t seem like an accident that it appears here. Perhaps the plot of the movie is that Neo is stuck in the Source and eventually he tries to find his way out?

Neo and the Blue Pill

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Wherever Neo is, he doesn’t remember the events of the first three movies and has returned to his life as sad sack Thomas Anderson. But memories of his past life are starting to sneak their way back into his head.

We see him consulting a psychiatrist played by Neil Patrick Harris to see if he’s “crazy” but it’s clear that Neo will soon wake up and re-learn the truth about his past. But someone clearly wants to stop that from happening. We watch Neo take blue pills Since the blue pills symbolize ignorance of the truth, it’s likely that these pills are stopping Neo from regaining his memories and abilities. Neo’s ditches his prescription and opts for Morpheus’ red pill later in the trailer, though.

During the red pill sequence, it looks like Morpheus and his crew have found a way to play back Neo’s past for him on a projector. How this is possible beats me, but just go with it. This is likely when Neo fully wakes up.

This scene will eventually be interrupted by a trigger-happy SWAT team, of course. What an image.

How Are Neo and Trinity Back in the First Place?

Things are about to get more confusing. If Neo and Trinity are really back in the Matrix…how the hell is that even possible? After all, they both died in the real world, which is, you know, a major obstacle to overcome if you want to get plugged back in. Yet, we see them both in the real world, hooked back up to machines, although it’s unclear if they’re back at the power plant that powers Machine City. Above, you can see Trinity seemingly alive in the real world but back in the clutches of the Machines.

The trailer does seem to tease that we’ll learn what happened to Neo’s body after Revolutions. Usually, humans are liquefied upon death to feed the rest of the crop, but Neo is no ordinary human. There are a few blink-and-you’ll-miss-it snapshots of the Machines doing something to Neo’s body, seemingly performing some sort of procedure. Neo’s eyes remain scorched from the events of Revolutions, as well.

All this implies some major, new Matrix lore could be introduced in this movie. Until now, the process through which the Machines grow humans has largely remained a mystery. We know they’re grown in pods and fed liquid human remains, but how do the Machines create these humans in the first place? And do their abilities extend far beyond growing new humans to power their city? What if the Machines also have the ability to bring the dead back to life as they seem to be doing with Neo and Trinity?

This also seems to support Cypher’s belief that the Machines could actually plug people back into the Matrix, something Trinity said wasn’t true in the original movie. Smith told Cypher that he would not only get plugged back in but that he wouldn’t remember anything about his miserable life in the real world. The Agents even promised him that they could give him a new, better life within the simulation. Cypher hoped to return as an important actor. This may be why Neo and Trinity don’t remember each other at first in the new movie.

Neo and Trinity’s Connection

Neo and Trinity’s connection is way too strong, though. They’ve brought each other back from the dead a couple of times, surely a little memory loss isn’t going to keep them apart for long. We watch them meet for “the first time” at a coffee shop — a place called “Simulatte,” as revealed by teaser footage released earlier this week — and then they’re back to kicking ass like the old days.

But it’s clear things have also changed. For example, there’s something weird going on with Trinity’s face, which seems to be bleeding…Matrix code? Does this mean this isn’t Trinity at all but a program designed to simulate her for Neo while he’s trapped in machine heaven? That doesn’t really add up with the fact that we also see Trinity alive in the real world. Maybe their digital selves are stuck in two different places and she’s actually back in the Matrix? I’ll admit I can’t get any of my theories to line up perfectly just yet.

The trailer also teases new abilities for the duo. Particularly interesting is that they can now create some sort of energy wave when they touch.

Trinity can also send out a shockwave that can put SWAT teams on their ass. But wait, the reverberation reveals another face behind Trinity’s… Who is that and what’s happening here? Shoot me some thoughts in the comments!

Is that Hugo Weaving as Smith?!

Speaking of hidden faces, in both the trailer and earlier teaser footage, we learn that Neo’s reflection isn’t quite right. When he looks in the mirror, someone else sometimes looks back. We get the best look at that reflection in the scene where Morpheus offers Neo the red pill…and holy crap, is that Hugo Weaving’s face CGI’d onto Keanu’s head?! If it is, this could mean that a bit of Smith’s code still lingers inside Neo, which also supports the idea that Neo is stuck in the Source and not the Matrix.

Is it Morpheus’ mission to somehow get him out of there? Now that you mention Morpheus…

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Morpheus

Ladies and gentlemen, if you weren’t sure about the rumors before, we have confirmation: Yahya Abdul-Mateen is playing Morpheus in The Matrix Resurrections. But there’s something weird going on with Morpheus, too.

One shot from the trailer is particularly interesting. Morpheus is staring at himself in the mirror, condensation on the glass made to resemble Matrix code (“digital rain”) over the mystery man’s face. He looks intently into the mirror, noticing how its surface turns to liquid when he touches it.

So what’s going on here? The green hue of the scene confirms this is Abdul-Mateen inside of the simulation, but judging from his reaction to the mirror, he doesn’t seem aware that he’s in the Matrix. Morpheus looks genuinely surprised by this sudden glitch, something Laurence Fishburne would’ve taken in stride in the original trilogy. So does this mean this movie follows Morpheus before he was unplugged? Is this movie somehow a continuation of Neo and Trinity’s story but also a Morpheus origin story?

Well, maybe this is just a flashback because we later see Morpheus doing normal Morpheus stuff, like training with Neo in the sparring program.

(Like much in the trailer, the dojo seems to be a located in a place meant to evoke Alice in Wonderland.)

But we haven’t addressed the elephant in the room: why does Morpheus look completely different now if this movie seems to mostly take place after Revolutions when Morpheus looked a lot like Laurence Fishburne? Well, yes, it could be a simple recast, but this is also the universe that created whole lore about program re-skins when the Wachowskis were forced to recast the Oracle with Mary Alice after Gloria Foster’s death while filming the third movie. So there will likely be an explanation.

This could go back to one of my theories about the where this movie takes place. What if this is a continuation of Neo and Trinity’s story but in a new version of the Matrix? As the Architect once told Neo in The Matrix Reloaded, the Machines have created several versions of the simulation, tweaking things as needed to improve the program and make humanity more subservient. It’s an endless loop that has seen the heroes try to save Zion from the Machines several times before. The Matrix trilogy covered the Sixth Matrix.

Read more

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We know that each version of the Matrix places someone in the role of “the One” in order to correct the anomaly in the program, but it wasn’t clear whether it was always someone named Neo. If that were the case, that could explain why there’s someone new in the Morpheus role, too. Perhaps the Sixth Matrix’s Neo and Trinity being in this potential seventh version is corrupting things, which is why the Machines are working to keep the duo from remembering their past. (But then why would the Machines have plugged them back in in the first place?) None of this makes sense!

Or is there a bigger twist behind all this?

In footage from the teasers released earlier this week, we someone who looks like Abdul-Mateen’s Morpheus being formed from thousands of little particles expelled by some sort of machine. Are those supposed to be tiny nano bots, sort of like more advanced versions of the insect droids that formed Deus Ex Machina’s face in The Matrix Revolutions? Does that mean Morpheus was a machine or program all along?

That certainly would be quite the twist if true. What if Morpheus was a Machine sleeper cell, just another system of control all along — a “true believer” designed to rally Zion around the One in order for the Machines to more easily lead humanity through the loop that would eventually lead to the city’s destruction?

Yeah, that sounds a little far-fetched even for a Matrix movie. Maybe it’s just this version of Morpheus that’s a machine, created to jump start Neo’s journey after another faction has kept him hooked on the blue pill for years. What if this is a version of the Matrix where Thomas Anderson never got to make a choice in 1999 and has lived his life ignorant of his true purpose? In this scenario, maybe it would be the Machines themselves trying to wake up Neo. After all, without him completing his journey, the program can’t survive.

I’m giving myself a headache. Let’s move on.

Jessica Henwick as Bugs

According to Variety, Jessica Henwick’s blue-haired badass is named Bugs, which I assume is a nod to the tattoo of the white rabbit on her arm, another reference to Alice in Wonderland as well as the first Matrix movie. When Henwick was cast, it was reported that she would be playing a major role in the movie and that seems to be true.

We see her guiding Neo through a doorway to “the truth,” while later she’s running around with Morpheus, shooting at bad guys and doing A LOT of flips. It’s good to see there are going to be plenty of cool stunts in this movie.

Jonathan Groff as the Villain?

The trailer ends with who many are speculating is the villain of the movie: Jonathan Groff’s mysterious businessman who welcomes Neo (and fans) back to the Matrix. I’ve heard several theories so far, but my two favorite ones are that Groff is playing a new version of Smith or that he’s a new skin for the Architect. Whatever the case, he could be the one working to keep Neo hooked on the blue pill.

One interesting detail in the background is what looks like a “DM” logo desk plate. Is this another reference to “Deus Ex Machina?” Is it some sort of program-run company?

Another scene of note is the one where Neo is on his knees, a gun pointed at his head. We don’t see who exactly is holding the pistol. Is that Groff? I also just find it interesting how this scene kind of rhymes with the Morpheus scene from the first movie.

Priyanka Chopra, Brian Jacob Smith, and Max Riemelt

We get glimpses of other characters, too. There’s Priyanka Chopra’s character, who’s reading Alice in Wonderland when Neo drops by her shop.

Also appearing are Brian Jacob Smith and Max Riemelt, both stars of Sense8, the ensemble sci-fi series created by the Wachowskis. You can see Smith running around with Morpheus’ crew while Riemelt has made a very bad choice and picked a fight with Neo.

The Real World

The movie will visit the real world, too. We see a Zion ship flying through underground tunnels. Teaser clips also confirmed we’ll also meet at least one other crew in the movie. With Jada Pincket Smith set to reprise her role, could this be Niobe’s ship, Logos?

Meanwhile, the Machines are still all about renewable energy.

There’s also whatever this is supposed to be?

Agents Are Back

What’s a Matrix movie without Agents? We already know Daniel Bernhardt is reprising his role as Reloaded‘s Agent Johnson, but there are a few other Agents in the mix to give Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, and friends a very hard time.

Even Morpheus looks like he’s dressed like an Agent at one point!

Matrix Weirdness

There a few other weird moments in this trailer worth highlighting. Judging from the way Morpheus and Bugs are somehow able to seemingly open portals in the simulation to stop themselves from going splat on the pavement during an action sequence where they jump out of a building, it looks like Resurrections is really going to mess with how the Matrix works, breaking all kinds of rules. It’s not just about jump from one skyscraper to the other anymore.

Morpheus and his squad seem to be able to travel through mirrors at will, too. It’s maybe their favorite form of transportation. (I don’t know who the person next to Bugs is as they walk through the mirror and into the restaurant.)

There’s also a very cool inverted hallway that defies the laws of gravity. Par for the course for the Matrix but cool just the same.

Lots of Action

As trippy as the sci-fi in The Matrix gets, this is an action franchise at its core, and the trailer promises the types of big action set pieces you’ve come to expect from these movies. That includes Neo stopping bullets and redirecting missiles with his mind! It definitely looks like the Neo we know and love will for sure be back in the One shape by the third act of this movie.

We also got a quick look at the motorcycle chase sequence that we first learned about through photos from the Mexico City set. Trinity speeds through the fiery streets, with Neo riding shotgun.

There’s also an action sequence inside a train. Bugs, Morpheus, and their squad run through the carts just as someone fires a rocket into the train. Should be a fun sequence.

Oh, and did I mention Abdul-Mateen fits right into the Morpheus role?

Spot anything I missed? Let me know in the comments!

The Matrix Resurrections arrives in theaters and on HBO Max on Dec. 22.

The post The Matrix 4 Trailer Breakdown: Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, and…Smith?! appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[swordarkeereon]

Author Interview: Josh Matthews #hellgate #horror

What genre(s) do you write and why?  I’ve written mostly in horror because it gives me the freedom to do what I want. When you write in other genres, such as crime or mysteries, you have to adhere to certain rules and conventions. With horror there are no limitations. My favorite part is creating unique monsters and settings, allowing me to let my imagination run wild. However, I’m trying something new with my latest manuscript, which is a dark political thriller about the Pentagon using scientifically-augmented assassins to go after North Korean leader Kim Chong-un.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? I’m a plotter. I spend weeks developing the storyline in my mind and jotting down scenes/dialogue/character quirks on 3×5 cards and ordering them. Most of the book is written out in my head before I sit down to draft it. Sometimes the book develops a life of its own and takes me places I had not originally planned, which is fine with me. Often those scenes are better than the ones I had outlined.

What do you feel your books offer readers? Entertainment. I don’t include social or political commentary, or life-changing themes, in my books. I write about good versus evil, average people being thrown into unusual and horrifying situations, and how they cope. The only constants in my books are action and suspense.

How long have you been a writer?  I’ve been writing since I was in elementary school, although I wouldn’t have called myself a professional back then. My work consisted of several monster magazines typed on folded-in-half construction paper with photos cut out of other magazines and really bad short stories jotted down in notebooks. I had a fan base of one – my mother.

What was the first book you ever had published? How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published? The first book I published was about modern vampire hunters, which I wrote under my real name. It took six years to finally find a publisher, and I was told by many established authors that six years was shorter than the industry average at that time. However, once I got my name out there, it only took a few tries to get my other books placed with publishers. With some of my latest books I’ve tried self-publishing, which opens up a whole new world of pros and cons.

What other careers have you had? I worked for the CIA for twenty-three years before retiring in 2013, mostly working against North Korea or involved with weapons of mass destruction or cyber security issues. Before that, I was a jack of all trades – realtor, high school teacher, exterminator, and a dozen other odd jobs.

Do you write under more than one pen name? Why?  Yes, Josh Matthews is my young adult pen name. I also write under my real name, Scott M. Baker. What I publish under my real name is mostly dark, hardcore horror laced with violence and gore. I opted to write my young adult books under a pen name because I didn’t want a twelve year old enjoying Hell Gate, picking up one of my other books, and being shocked.

When you create characters, do you base them on real people? Only one character was based on a real life person. Drake Matthews from The Vampire Hunters trilogy was an iced-coffee drinking, whiskey swilling, cigar smoking adventurer who owned a pet rabbit named Van Helsing. Except for the adventurer part, Drake was based on me, so I got to live vicariously through Drake.

How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general? Most of my family and friends get a kick out of the fact that I’m a writer, but they have never read my books. The only close family member who is really excited about my career is my wife, Alison Beightol, the author of The Primigenio Tales trilogy. We met because we both wrote vampire novels and eventually fell in love. Who says horror can’t be romantic?

Where are you from? I was born and raised in Boston, spent over two decades living in the Washington D.C. area and overseas, and retired for four years in northern Florida. As I write this, my family is packing to move to New England.

How do you come up with the titles? I think up several possible titles for my books and then run them through Amazon to make sure they have not been used. Those that survive I run past my beat readers for their input. My daughter Maddy is my best source of titles; she came up with Nazi Ghouls from Space and Mutant Assassin Group (the title of my soon-to-be-published dark political thriller).

What do you do for fun? For fun I spend time with my family, play with the pets, read (usually horror and post-apocalyptic fiction and histories of World War II and the Cold War).

 Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task? I thrive on multi-tasking. I write a book and send it off to my beta readers and, as they review it, I begin the first draft of another book. Then I switch off, sending the newest book to the beta readers while I incorporate their suggestions and do the final edits on the first book. In between, I’m outlining upcoming books and/or writing short stories.

What kind of kid were you? Which social path did you take?  I was a total geek as a kid. Farah Fawcett posters on my wall. Aurora monster models on my book shelves. A stack of Famous Monsters of Filmland under my bed. I became more serious in college, studied history with the intent of teaching, and eventually wound up working for the CIA. But I still enjoy my roots and love going to horror conventions because I feel right at home with the other people there.

Do you have any pets? At the moment I have four pets – two cats, Archer and Michonne, who think they run the house and two boxers, Bella and Walther. The cats are jealous of the dogs’ fame because Walther and Bella are the inspiration for Lucifer and Lilith, the werehounds in Hell Gate.

 If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you travel?  I’ve already traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. I’m one of those eccentrics who enjoy locations off the beaten path that are not frequented by a lot of tourists, especially locations related to World War II. The two spots I really want to see are Pyongyang, North Korea, as well as Chernobyl and the abandoned town of Pripyat in Ukraine.

 Do you have a favorite beverage that you drink when you write? Iced water or iced coffee. If I’m writing late at night, I enjoy whiskey.

 Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself. 1) I used to smoke a cigar a day, but I kicked the habit nearly four years ago (although I do indulge on special occasions).  2) I’m a huge World War II aficionado and have taken numerous trips to see battlefields and locations associated with the war.  3) I am not a Star Wars fan but am a huge Trekkie.  4) My hobby is collecting militaria; my collection includes artifacts from Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Communist China, the Soviet Union, North Korea, and the regime of Saddam Husayn.  5) When I was fourteen I got to fly a small plane over southern New Hampshire.

 Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases. The sequel to Hell Gate is scheduled for release this October. The first draft of the third book in the series is almost complete, and I’ve begun plotting out the fourth book. Also, my dark political thriller is currently with an agent who is reviewing it, and hopefully will be released in 2018. I’ve already begun research on the sequel, which involves a biological warfare attack on a major city.

  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013874139869

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/HellGateSaga

Blog: http://hellgatesaga.blogspot.com/

  BRIEF AUTHOR BIO:

Josh Matthews is a former New Englander who has returned to his roots along with his wife, teenage daughter, and four lovable but exasperating pets. Josh used to work for the U.S. Government where he had the opportunity to travel around the world and be exposed to numerous cultures, many of which will appear in the Hell Gate saga. He has always been a fan of horror novels and monster movies, and sees the Hell Gate saga as his way to share that love with a new generation of fans.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Sixteen-year-old Jason McCreary is living a nightmare within a nightmare. Not only is he trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by demons from Hell, he also shoulders the burden for humanity’s fate as it was his mother who opened the gates in a scientific experiment gone wrong.

In a last ditch effort to redeem his family name and erase his guilt, Jason joins a squad whose mission is to travel to Paris and close the Hell Gate. Once there, they discover an environment more frightening than anything they could imagine and demons more terrifying than they had ever encountered before.

Time is now against them.

Can Jason gain his redemption along with the respect of his peers, or will a new web of lies threaten to rip apart his world and jeopardize his team’s only chance for success?

BOOK EXCERPT:

The stillness belied the danger that lurked in the shadows of every alley and doorway of St. Mere Eglise. Jason McCreary found it unsettling. Most of the towns along the Normandy coast had been abandoned long ago. Animals now flourished amongst the desolation, with livestock and wildlife replacing humans. That wasn’t the case today. Even the birds had left, plunging the town into an eerie silence that forewarned of an approaching evil. Experience had taught Jason that when the animals fled it was to escape from Hell Spawn. He made his way along the center of Rue Eisenhower, clutching his crossbow, ready to shoot if necessary. Despite walking lightly, his footsteps echoed through town, sounding like a dinner bell for the dead. His eyes scanned the buildings. Nothing moved except overgrown grass and weeds that swayed in the wind. The same wind tousled several blond strands across his face. Jason used his free hand to push them back behind his ears.

Jason took a deep breath to calm his nerves, holding it for several seconds before exhaling. It did little good. His heart still raced, and his hands trembled, knowing that something demonic could lunge out of the shadows at him at any moment. He glanced down to the werehounds that stayed close by his side. Lilith brought up Jason’s right flank. She looked like a large wolf with shiny black fur. Her head darted from side to side, seeking out anything that could be a threat. Occasionally, she glanced behind them to make certain nothing approached from their rear. Lucifer walked along on his left. He resembled an American bulldog. His ears stood straight up, listening for any noise that signified danger. When Lucifer saw his master staring at him, his tail wagged. After the brief display of affection, he went back to prowling for Hell Spawn.

Jason sniffed the air to see if he could smell the demons. A tickle formed in the back of his throat, causing him to hack against the rear of his hand. Ever since the opening of the Hell Gate, the air had taken on an unpleasant odor. Father Chirac referred to it as the brimstone stench of Hell. Jason had no idea what the priest meant. To him, the air smelled like the living room of his old house after his mother built a fire in the fireplace, only mixed with the stench of rot and shit.

As he glanced from building to building, Jason chastised himself. He didn’t like being separated from the group, yet he only had himself to blame for being the point man in a potential battle royale. Yesterday, a scouting party on horseback had reported Hell Spawn moving across the countryside toward St. Mere Eglise; they had been unable to conduct a proper reconnaissance because of the approaching dusk. A search and destroy team had been sent out that morning to assess the threat and deal with it. Jason was part of that team. A mile outside of town, the team had dismounted and left their horses with a rear guard unit so they could proceed on foot. Andre had ordered Jason to go ahead and scout the area. When Sasha had protested sending him in alone, Jason had interrupted and said he wanted to take point. He didn’t know if he had been trying to impress Andre or had been embarrassed by having Sasha fight his battles for him, not that it mattered. His stupid sixteen-year-old vanity had gotten the better of him. Now he was heading into a town probably overrun by Hell Spawn.

“And I wonder why they keep calling me Bait.”

Lucifer looked up with his soulful brown eyes and whined, sensing his discomfort.

“I’m fine, boy. I need a bit more common sense than pride.” He reached down and scratched Lucifer behind the ears, who wagged his tail once more.

Jason closed his eyes and concentrated. He could sense the others following half a mile to the rear. Most of the team registered as one signature, giving off an aura of concern over not knowing what to expect. Three stood out. Andre and Slava, both of whom who were excited about the possibility of combat, and Sasha, who was afraid. Not for herself, though. She feared for Jason’s safety. He grinned at the remote display of affection.

At the corner, the street opened up. To the right sat a parking lot empty except for a few dust-covered vehicles. In the far corner sat St. Mere Eglise church, the one made famous when an American paratrooper got stuck on the belfry during the D-Day landings. He remembered seeing that in an old black-and-white war movie he watched with his dad. Red Skelton, or Buttons, or someone with a weird name like that had played the paratrooper. To the left was the Airborne Museum that commemorated the Normandy invasion. Jason veered off the street and into the outer edge of the parking lot. The werehounds stayed close.

He had approached to within twenty feet of the intersection of Rue Eisenhower and Rue de Gaulle when a single figure shambled out into the middle of the street. A Nachzehrer. A flesh eater that fed off of humans. These demons were slow and uncoordinated, so dealing with one or two was easy. However, a horde of Nachzehrer could strip a man to the bones in minutes. Jason had seen hundreds like it during the past few months. Naked, emaciated, and with leathery gray skin dried out from the fires of Hell. It stumbled along, its gaze fixed on the road. The demon hadn’t noticed him yet. He raised the crossbow and aimed at the skull above the right ear. Lucifer growled. The noise caught the Nachzehrer’s attention. Its head shot up and its lifeless, cloudy eyes fixed on Jason. When its mouth dropped open, a mournful wail emanated from cracked, desiccated lips. Jason readjusted his aim and pulled the trigger. The arrow sliced through the Nachzehrer’s left eye. The demon dropped to the ground, a final moan escaping from its lungs as its life force drained from its body, creating a small eddy of blue light that twisted in the air for a moment before dissipating.

Jason reached around to pull another arrow from its quiver when the stench of decayed flesh filtered into his nose, a smell so overpowering his stomach heaved. As he swallowed back his vomit, a chorus of wails shattered the calm. A swarm of Nachzehrer flowed out of Rue de Gaulle and filled the square. A bloated female noticed Jason and screeched. The others turned and, spotting food, shambled towards him. At least a hundred Nachzehrer emerged from the side street, all of them bearing down on Jason. Even worse, he saw four gray shapes darting among the horde. Though he couldn’t get a good view because of the Nachzehrer, he recognized the bat-like bodies and bulbous, eyeless heads with gaping mouths.

Shit! Soul vampires!

“Come on, guys!” Jason said to Lilith and Lucifer. He ran for the church. Lilith stayed close to protect her master. Lucifer defiantly barked at the approaching horde before spinning around and sprinting away.

Reaching the door to St. Mere Eglise church, Jason tried the knob. It was locked. He rammed his shoulder into the door several times. It wouldn’t budge. Placing his back against the wall, Jason scanned the area and weighed his options. Nachzehrer stretched out across the parking lot. They were still over fifty feet away, and he could easily outrun them. Three of the soul vampires spread out behind the first line of Nachzehrer, preparing to attack, and they would cut him down if he moved out in the open. If he stayed with his back against the church so he couldn’t be surrounded and fight, he might have a chance. With luck, the rest of the team would reach him before the Nachzehrer did.