Saturday 28 May 2016

Dark Review - Penny Dreadful “A Blade of Grass”

Although I am usually pretty happy with anything Penny Dreadful, the most recent episode, "A Blade of Grass" seemed even better than usual. Vanessa is trapped in her memories of life in the asylum she was unlucky enough to visit earlier in the series, but the interplay of her own doubts and the kindness of John Clare was beautifully done. You can read my full, spoilerific review on Geek Syndicate at this link.
Penny Dreadful Image © Copyright Showtime Networks.


Sunday 22 May 2016

The Next Level Podcast Episode 78

I got together with Ant, Amy and Matt to jibber jabber about storytelling in videogames, how we remember it from the early days and ways that it could be improved. I felt quite ill the night we recorded and I didn't feel that I came across that well. Even so, you can listen to the podcast by visiting this link.

Saturday 7 May 2016

Dark Fiction - Corpuscle


Corpuscle

By Casey Douglass



‘We are meant to flow, to move from one event to another, not to dig our heels in and clasp the objects around us.’

The hushed audience murmured as hundreds of tired minds processed the information. A few muted claps and a coughing fit later, the grey-maned man at the lectern smiled and continued.

‘What happens when we stay in one place for too long? That one area soon becomes all too familiar. I am not just talking about location, but occupation, inclination and many other areas of life. Humans lose their edge when they are comfortable, when they have everything that they think they need, when they feel safe. The irony is that this is when they are truly in the most danger. You!’ he pointed at a chubby blonde woman in the front row. ‘You!’ he pointed at a suited man with thick-rimmed glasses. ‘You! You! You!’ his pointing finger aimed and arced across the room, the tip jarring nerves and increasing pulses wherever it landed.

‘Wake up! You are a long time dead! Move on to new things and don’t grasp at illusion. Don’t get angry or frustrated with life’s hurdles. Don’t lust for things or give in to your baser urges, use that energy to better yourself and the world!’

The crowd jumped to its feet and the air erupted in rapturous applause, whistles and cheers. The man took a step back and bowed. 

‘Thank you! Thank you for listening to the rantings of an old man. If I can reach just one person, my work here is done! Goodnight!’

More whistles swelled into the rafters above, the windows of the old hall fogging with condensation. He waved and vanished behind the heavy red curtain, the fabric muffling the noise from the other side. 

He hummed a tuneless ditty as he trotted down the steps, his mind already fantasizing about the money the stall would be making tonight, and how many hookers he could afford to employ simultaneously at the hotel later.



THE END