Supernatural (CW) – returning season 7

Premiere: Friday, September 23 Order: 23 episodes

My cover of the upcoming Fall season for science fiction and fantasy fans continues.

The Winchester boys will be back with season 7 in September. We left them after Castiel declared himself a god and the new season will continue the moments after.

I am not sure Sam has dealt fully with his tortured soul so that is going to be an issue. The whole new godhood thingy is going to be an issue to be sure. I am a bit unsure about the new Castiel though. I loved the old one so much he was my favorite character. Cas will be having daddy issues and we will learn more in the first couple of episodes.

Crowley and Jo are returning too.

I feel a bit sorry for Dean he will have both Sam with the wall down reliving Hell and Cas on a power trip to deal with.

Slightly Spoilery Synopsis: Now, in season seven, the Winchesters will find themselves in an increasingly sinister, changing landscape, up against a new foe unlike anything they’ve ever fought. They’ll find their old tricks, weapons and hiding places all rendered useless. All they’ll have is each other. And the certainty that, like the last of the cowboy outlaws, whatever they face, they’re not going down without a fight. And the certainty that, like the last of the cowboy outlaws, whatever they face, they’re not going down without a fight. The series stars Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester, Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester and Misha Collins as Castiel.

The first episode is named Meet the Boss who would be Castiel.

Share|

A More Cerebral Fantasy Experience

Noone could have missed the growing popularity of Swedish mystery writers like Stig Lasson and Henning Mankell least not as a Swede. Yet Swedish science fiction and fantasy literature has been lacking from this blog so far. I have promised myself I will rectify that in the future.

First out is Åsa Schwartz who’s first novel Nefilim has been published in 16 countries (link to English version). Nephilim are the offspring of angels and human females according to one interpretation of the Bible. Her new book En Död Ängel [A Dead Angel] a standalone sequel to Nefilim is so far only available in Swedish but I understand there are plans for an English translation later.

En Död Ängel takes place in Stockholm and the Mount Ararat region of Turkey and Armenia. The female protagonist Nova Barakel is a Greenpeace activist with a mysterious past. She goes to Mount Ararat with other Greenpeace activists to build an Ark there as a symbol for the fight against climate change. The green theme goes all though the book and humanity’s pollution of Earth is a major issue.

Nova is brutally attacked when she and her new-found boyfriend Benjamin visit the uninhabited ruin city of Ani only to wake up a week later in a hospital bed in Stockholm. Benjamin has not been seen since, why? She checks herself out only to learn that Sylvester one of her hacker friends has been murdered. Against doctors and her friend Arvid’s protests she immediately starts to plan to return to Turkey to search for Benjamin and clues of her own past.

I like strong female characters and Nova Barakel is probably the most believable I have met so far. She is a complex character unsure of her past, which will be revealed in this book. She makes mistakes and deal with them as a normal person would do. As in almost all good stories there is love but it never becomes the main thing. Nova is her own person but she has some relationship issues not only with her missing boyfriend but also with pining male friends that complicates her life. All her inner dialog allows the reader to come really close to her.

The environment and the details in the story give the same kind of insight behind the curtain that has made other Swedish authors popular abroad. I am impressed by the research and expertise evident in this book with social criticism, religion, history, mysticism and cyber security in a coherent and enjoyable mixture. The author must have spent a great deal of time researching it. I had the opportunity to talk with her at EuroCon this year and she told me she went down to Armenia to do the research on site. That she works as an IT security consultant is also clear.

I don’t want to go into too many details and spoil the surprise but Nova stumbles on something that can have global repercussions. We dig into cyber security, angels, family secrets, and much more before the surprising and explosive finale.

Åsa Schwartz is the leading lady of eco fantasy and her new book En Död Ängel [A Dead Angel] is an ominous eco thriller, a sequel to Nefilim that takes us into the supernatural. It was a real page-turner I read in one go. This gets a warm recommendation as a more cerebral fantasy experience.

Book information

En Död Ängel [A Dead Angel] (Nova Barakel 2) by Åsa Schwarz ( Telegramförlaget 2011) – Bokus (Swedish)

Read the first chapter here (pdf in Swedish)

Åsa Schwarz homepage defaults to English and there you can find video with Nova and an excerpt from Nifilim (pdf in English)

Share|

Bo & Kenzi with a Full Season!

Premiere: Sunday, September 4 Order: 22 episodes

Bo our favorite bisexual succubus returns this Fall with a full season order. I love many things with this series but Kenzi is the best sidekick around. I would watch it just to enjoy her antics. Syfy has ordered both season one and two of this series which is great.

Anna Silk who plays Bo has spilled some news of the upcoming season. The misshapen love triangle between Bo-Lauren-Dyson continues. Bo does have two lovers, and you’ll see more about that in Season 2, those relationships get explored further. It’s pretty exciting.

What’s exciting is that Bo will be tested in a new way this season. She will explore her relationships further. She will question her loyalties. I really think that the writers have done an amazing job in taking where we left off in Season 1 and taking it to the next level. Each script is really rich in new creatures and exploring the mythology further, and seeing Bo’s journey along with her makeshift family.

Official Synopsis: Season two will challenge Bo’s resolve to stay free and force her to question her own morals and beliefs. While Bo grows stronger and learns more about who she really is, relationships will be tested and passions will ignite, but answers will not come easily. Through it all, Bo will remain true to herself and loyal to those she trusts as she continues to forge a path of her own in a dangerous world.

Joining the Lost Girl cast this season is Vincent Walsh (Republic of Doyle, Saving Private Ryan) in a recurring role. Notable guest stars include Emmanuelle Vaugier (Two and a Half Men, Covert Affairs, Human Target) who returns as “The Morrigan”, the leader of the Dark Fae and Conrad Coates (Covert Affairs, Tron) who guest stars in episode two.

Synopsis Episode 2.01 – Something Wicked This Fae Comes

The following is hamelessly stolen from Televixim , read a review of the first episode there. It sounds great.

Official Synopsis: In the season opener, a nomadic Fae sideshow comes to town looking to take advantage of the chaos that the bombing of the Light Fae headquarters has wrought. Unbeknownst to the general Light Fae populace, The Ash is in a coma, and his bond with the land is weakening – which makes this the perfect time for the travelling circus freaks to steal the most precious thing the Light Fae possess.

Share|

The Girls are having a quiet night at home drinking Pinot and waxing their swords and throwing daggers into mannequins. Somehow it makes them horny and talking about sex. The Dating scene is a killer.

Switch to a woman who invites a man home, have a sleep over and then wakes up with a death wish, a bath and an electric hairdryer. She left a wall with the words whore and slut.

Her sister doesn’t believe it is suicide and hire Bo to find out the truth. Bo goes to Dylan but he can’t help forcing her to go to Lauren. It is a bit cold there, Lauren is still in the dog house. Things with Dylan seems good though.

Meanwhile Kenzi is at Trick’s place being a hoot. Short guy Valentine walks in and gives a 24 hour warning to Trick. He will be back for his coin at midnight.

The girls go looking for a clue at the club dead girl was hanging out at and find speed dating. Bo charms them and Kenzai cleans them of their possessions. That was so entertaining, then it gets girl on girl and it is another Succubus.

Bo is intrigued, it is the first other succubus she has meet. We are big in Berlin apparently. Kenzi is not overly impressed and heads over to Trick, he needs her help. Turns out Valentine and Trick have this one hundred year time share on a lucky coin. Now he lost the coin the day before he is to turn it over but he knows a ceremony to track it down. But he needs an egg from a Fae that only talks to female humans.

The sister gets a visitor during the night and Bo and her new Fae friend finds her dead in the morning with the writing on the wall. It is an Alabaster at work; they are like the anti-succubus and feed on sexual shame.

Kenzi goes redhead for Lightning Bird. She has to talk her out of one of her eggs but plays to become her agent and trick Trick to promise a future favor for the Lightning Bird. Trick is so charming when he has to give something away. The Bird drops that Trick could have done it himself with the Book of Blood. The most powerful is always the most stubborn.

Bo and new friend find the lucky guy and offer a threesome but he didn’t do it. She learns a new trick though, you can give energy back.

The Alabaster comes on Bo all alone. Hello whore. It is the speed dating organizer. He almost overcomes Bo but her new succubus friend saves her. He is not going to like this threesome at all. While Bo is about to turn him over to the light her sucky friend drains him dry. Something Bo is not okay with.

Trick dips the amulet in the spiced egg and points out a cemetery where the coin is. Nothing there, but Kenzi notice the flowers on the grave. The same flower she has seen before. Trick is saved and Valentine has to return the stolen coin to him.

The girls hug in bed and everything is better in the world. But we can see Bo looking longingly at the red leather jacket left by her dark Fae teacher.

This show is so great. I am entertained, amused and infatuated.

p.s. Sorry for not writing earlier but I was swamped in work yesterday evening, It was all good though.

Lost Girl 1.09 [TV Review] November 16, 2010
Lost Girl Renewed for a Second Season November 12, 2010
Lost Girl 1.08 [TV Review] November 9, 2010
Lost Girl 1.07 – Itsy-Bitsy Spider … [TV Review] November 3, 2010
Lost Girl 1.06 [TV Review] October 26, 2010
Lost Girl 1.05 [TV Review] October 19, 2010
Lost Girl 1.04 – Faetal Attraction [TV Review] October 12, 2010
Lost Girl 1.03 [TV Review] September 28, 2010
Lost Girl 1.02 [TV Review] September 21, 2010
Lost Girl Series Premiere [TV Review Recap] September 14, 2010
The New TV Season for Science Fiction Fans (Fall 2010) August 25, 2010
Lost Girl [New This Fall] August 10, 2010

Share|

Great news, Showcase has renewed favorite tv show Lost Girl. This has become one of my favorite past times this year. I have come to really enjoy Bo, Kenzi, Dyson and Trick and the others in this series. It’s like Buffy for adults.

Season two will challenge Bo’s resolve to stay free and force her to question her own morals and beliefs. While Bo grows stronger and learns more about who she really is, relationships will be tested and passions will ignite, but answers will not come easily. Through it all, Bo will remain true to herself and loyal to those she trusts as she continues to forge a path of her own in a dangerous world. Ksenia Solo (Life Unexpected, Renegadepress.com) will return as Bo’s human confidante Kenzi, and Kris Holden-Reid (Ben Hur, The Bridge, The Tudors) returns as homicide detective Dyson.