My poll of the moment asked for your favorite comic books and TV shows. Here's what we got:
Comics: Miller's Daredevil, Spider Man, Thor, The Punisher (multiple times, including my vote - esp. for Ennis's work), Marshal Law, The Avengers.
TV: 24, Miami Vice, Law & Order - Special Victims Unit, Quantum Leap, X-Files (hell yeah), Twin Peaks, Survivor, Pimp My Ride, Sopranos, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, MASH, CSI Las Vegas, Criminal Minds, Dexter, The Simpsons, The English Premier League Review Show, Lost, The Office, and - the greatest show in the history of television - The Shield.
Others pointed out that Bend It Like Beckham and Rudy were left out of best sport movie contention.
Anything else missing here, folks?
Also, W M Jensen won the contest by successfully guessing - at page 37 - how Walker pulled off the perfect closed-cell escape from Terminal Island. He'll get a cool, signed first foreign edition of one of the Rackley books. Congrats, Bill!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Vigilantism
Some time ago, I was sent an email by a woman asking how I saw the four Rackley books fitting together. I've called the series an "action meditation" on vigilantism because, after all, it's not every day one can coin a pretentious oxymoron. But the books really do each offer a different take on the issue, and each one represents a different step of Tim's development in confronting this issue.
I suppose since all the Rackley books deal with vigilantism, I wanted to portray what kind of trauma would work on an upstanding deputy and make him consider other options. Tim is an ethical, above-board deputy, and it’s not just Ginny’s death that makes him go outside the law; it’s the failure of the courts. He realizes eventually that the courts, while flawed, represent the best hope; more precisely, that the other options present even more problems.
The Kill Clause is about (among other things) Tim's embracing vigilantism, and his ultimate rejection of it.
The Program is about Tim, a man of action, having to act within the law to bring down a cult that victimizes people while keeping within legal limits.
Troubleshooter is about Tim’s internalizing Dray’s values (her consistent rejection of acting outside the law).
Last Shot is about Tim confronting himself, as embodied in Walker Jameson.
Of course, there was no roadmap when I was writing. There was no template or outline that I filled in. Most of this - as with many other matters in my writing - I only realized after the fact. When I'm dug in well to story and character, I rarely consider themes. They just manage to work themselves out.
I suppose since all the Rackley books deal with vigilantism, I wanted to portray what kind of trauma would work on an upstanding deputy and make him consider other options. Tim is an ethical, above-board deputy, and it’s not just Ginny’s death that makes him go outside the law; it’s the failure of the courts. He realizes eventually that the courts, while flawed, represent the best hope; more precisely, that the other options present even more problems.
The Kill Clause is about (among other things) Tim's embracing vigilantism, and his ultimate rejection of it.
The Program is about Tim, a man of action, having to act within the law to bring down a cult that victimizes people while keeping within legal limits.
Troubleshooter is about Tim’s internalizing Dray’s values (her consistent rejection of acting outside the law).
Last Shot is about Tim confronting himself, as embodied in Walker Jameson.
Of course, there was no roadmap when I was writing. There was no template or outline that I filled in. Most of this - as with many other matters in my writing - I only realized after the fact. When I'm dug in well to story and character, I rarely consider themes. They just manage to work themselves out.
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