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Smugglivus 2011 Guest Author: Meljean Brook

Welcome to Smugglivus 2011! Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2011, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2012.

Who: Meljean Brook, one of Ana’s favourite writers, author of two fabulous series: The Guardians and The Iron Seas.

Recent Work: Demon Marked, book 7 in the Guardians series (Woe, only one more book to go till it’s all over); the short story Ascension in the Angels of Darkness anthology; and Heart of Steel, book 2 in The Iron Seas series.

Please give it up for Meljean Brook!

It’s a Wonderful Frickin’ Smugglivus!

Oh, 2011. I won’t be particularly sorry to see it gone. It’s been one of those years where every word written feels like it was pulling a tooth, to the point where I feel like Slappy the Squirrel huddled in my old-lady clothes and bitching about everything.

I haven’t read much this year that wasn’t non-fiction. In fact, I think the last fiction I read might have been Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews. It was awesome. Go get it. Non-fiction? The Killer of Little Shepherds by Douglas Starr. Only go get it if you like reading about the horrible things that people do to each other.

The suckiest book? I didn’t read any sucky books. (Romance authors who like to continue to show their faces in public or online don’t talk about sucky books.)

Other picks: TV – My biggest surprise? American Horror Story. This show is so ridiculous, I can’t look away. I totally expect it to crash and burn like a rubber-suited Hindenburg, but I’ll be there watching it. My greatest disappointment? Grimm. Great premise, blah execution.

Movies: I enjoyed quite a few movies, even if they didn’t blow me away – The Harry Potter finale (but I have to say, I haven’t read past the fourth book, so I might have loved this more if I was an uber-fan), Hanna, Thor (too bad about the boring romance), Blood Creek (a total WTF-fest, which I appreciate very much), Priest (mostly for Maggie Q), and Super 8 (though I’m still not certain if that’s just the nostalgia factor talking, and the resemblance to Cloverdale, because I was one of three people in the world who enjoyed that movie), and X-Men: First Class.

My biggest surprise? A Perfect Getaway. Okay, this isn’t a 2011 movie, but I watched it in 2011! And I’ll admit, I only rented this because it starred Milla Jovovich, on whom I have a total girl-crush. And, she was totally Milla Jovovich in this movie (as she is in every movie). This isn’t even a really good movie … but I enjoyed the hell out of it, and it sent me on a viewing spree of Timothy Olyphant’s oeuvre. (I loved Deadwood, felt ‘meh’ over Justified.) I was expecting pure crap, and it was predictable, but it was also overall pretty fun – particularly the last act.

I kind of expected Conan the Barbarian to be in my list (in the ‘Movies So Bad They’re Good spot) but I was disappointed. Alas, it was just bad. I now hope that Immortals will take that spot, but I’m waiting for the rental.)

My biggest disappointment: Green Lantern. Seriously, what the hell was that mess? Perhaps I’d have enjoyed it more if I liked Ryan Reynolds more. But I don’t especially have a girl-boner for him, and so it was a total fail for me. (Actually, the only reason I even watched this after the horrible, HORRIBLE trailer was because of this footage from Comic Con. If you haven’t seen Green Lantern already, if you can still be saved, I would urge everyone to watch this rather than the movie.)

My favorite of 2011 (if Real Steel, Hugo, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and the next Sherlock Holmes don’t knock it out of that spot)? 13 Assassins.

I’m not sure what it says about my movie-experience this year that my favorite movie didn’t knock my socks off or present anything new (it’s just a solid samurai flick), but was simply an all-around great way to spend a couple of hours. I can’t say that I loved, LOVED! any movie this year, to the point where I have to buy it the second it is released. Did you?

And finally, comic books. Actually, okay – I’m just going to talk about one comic book, and one superheroine:

Wonder Woman.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the Amazing Amazon. I’m not quite an uber-fan – I don’t cosplay Wonder Woman (and everyone who has ever seen my thighs thanks me for this) – but I do dress up my daughter in her costume and live vicariously through her, I have WW comics and DVDs, cups, shirts, shoes, socks, an apron, boots, underwear, pants—

Okay, no. I don’t have Wonder Woman pants…because she doesn’t have pants! Or she didn’t. But she does? No, she doesn’t. Oh, wait— Maybe?

2011: The Year of Wonder Woman’s Pants a.k.a. Meljean Airs Some Frickin’ Grievances

It’s tough being a Wonder Woman fan. For some reason, a bunch of people don’t ‘get’ her origin (how hard is it, really? Her mother desperately wanted a child, and she made one from clay, and the gods gifted the child with life and superpowers). Or they think she’s boring (please see bluefall’s “When Wonder Woman was Awesome” series of posts for evidence of not-boringness).

Due primarily to those two factors, Wonder Woman has been subject to several reboots in the past couple of years. Announcements of an “All-New Direction!” and an “All-New Wonder Woman!” has become almost a joke to fans (if we all weren’t so damn sad that she’s being tossed around like this), because it happens almost every time a new, prominent writer gets his hands on her.

Last year, you might remember seeing one of those reboots – significant primarily because Wonder Woman was suddenly sporting a new pair of pants (she also had a new writer, J. Michael Straczynski, who bailed on her book a few issues into a year-long story arc that was supposed to modernize her and make her more accessible to readers, along with clearing up her complicated backstory and redefining Who She Is). Phil Hester took over and did a good job of finishing up that storyline this year. But the story arc was simply too long (for the first time in a very, very long time, even I didn’t bother to pick up WW on release day) and in the end, the story didn’t matter, anyway: because in the middle of 2011, DC rebooted its entire universe. Oh, joy. So a year after her previous all-new direction (which was only four years after the previous reboot), she was rebooted again.

(I am completely ignoring the very, very low point in 2011: when Wonder Woman married Aquaman and then beheaded Mera in the alternate-universe [or whatever the hell that was] Flashpoint storyline. As far as I’m concerned, that didn’t happen – just as Amazons Attack! didn’t happen.)

But hey! There was also hope, right? After all, David Kelley was trying to bring Wonder Woman to the small screen…

Okay, let’s just forget that, too, shall we? (Or, if you’ve seen scenes from the pilot, you’ll probably be trying to repress it.)

One thing to note here: the pants. Almost every recent attempt to modernize and update her look includes a pair of pants. And although I’m a fan of the star-spangled shorts, I don’t mind the idea of pants at all. One of my favorite pictures of Wonder Woman ever is this one by Nicola Scott, and if I wasn’t writing professionally, this artwork could have inspired me to launch a thousand fanfics set in space.

Sigh. Prior to the reboot, I just wanted to catch the DC execs in my homemade golden lariat, tie them up, and explain to them: THE PANTS AREN’T GOING TO SOLVE THE FRICKIN’ PROBLEM.

No, the problem is a) inconsistent characterization from writer to writer b) a lack of continuity in her supporting cast and villains, c) story arcs that take too freaking long to wrap up. Who is going to stay around for a 12-issue story that is supposed to “simplify” her origins and mission? If it takes 12 issues to show, it’s not simplifying anything.

So when I heard about the DC 52 reboot, and saw the pants come and go and come and go.

The first images of the rebooted Wonder Woman:

Quickly followed by:

The same thing happened with Justice League promo art – the pants came and went. And this was me:

But I’ll admit … as 2011 draws to a close, I feel a little bit of hope. The first three issues have been pretty good. Cliff Chiang’s artwork is incredible. I do have a bit of a rant building up regarding her new, ‘easy for everyone to relate to’ origin that makes her Zeus’s biological daughter rather than created from clay, but I am Holding The Fanwank Rage Inside 1 until the storyline wraps up, because if the story is good enough, it might win me over. Maybe. Until then, I look at pictures like this and breathe deep.

Inhale. Inhale. INHALE.

Ah, yes. I’m okay again. So – I can’t ask anyone to share my WW fan outrage and disappointment and scant hope, but I imagine everyone has their own. Is there a show/comic/movie that makes you want to beat the creators over the head? Please, do rant.

Comments will be entered in the giveaway below.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Courtesy of the author, we are giving away 5 copies of any of her 2011 releases. Leave a comment here in order to win and each of the 5 winners gets to pick one copy of either Demon Marked, Angel of Darkness or Heart of Steel. The contest is open to EVERYBODY, and will run until December 10 2011, 11:59 PM (PST). Good luck!

  1. Because Gail Simone wrote a really, really freaking amazing origin that deepened the story rather than recreated it, and it was PERFECT. Gah!

    Inhale.

95 Comments

  • Amy @ My Friend Amy
    December 2, 2011 at 12:17 am

    Aw I really liked A Perfect Getaway as well which I saw for Timothy Olyphant. I’ve watched some bad stuff for him, this movies wasn’t one of them. 🙂

  • Pam
    December 2, 2011 at 12:36 am

    I basically want to see more female creators in the comic universe. And boobs that look like real boobs instead of perfect spheres, oh and backs that actually work like a back should.

  • Katherine
    December 2, 2011 at 12:46 am

    God, I love Wonder Woman ;( Would like her to be able to wear more clothes though. Trousers would do nicely.

  • kara-karina
    December 2, 2011 at 1:01 am

    Grimm was a disappointment for me as well. I an Number Four was godawfull, and I’m dreading my future Breaking Dawn experience before the end of December. Twilight movies are so ridiculous (especially the dialogues), I can’t understand their lure. Why? Vampire Diaries are much better, and even last season of True Blood didn’t suck that much (pun intended). Oh well, rant’s finished. thank you for a fantastic giveaway! 😉

  • Jess
    December 2, 2011 at 1:07 am

    I definitely feel ya with the Wonder Woman rage. I loved her so much, but then they just made her story boring (which, seeing as how awesome WW is, is a near-impossible feat).
    Also, I’m going to echo Pam. Female writers and bobs that don’t defy gravity would be great.

  • wade2121
    December 2, 2011 at 1:35 am

    It would’ve been nice if Grimm was a bit better. I enjoy Once Upon a Time. I saw the original Wonder Woman series and it would’ve been awesome to see again.

  • Katherine
    December 2, 2011 at 2:33 am

    I really enjoyed the X-Men movie, although I’m not sure if it would stand up to too many repeat viewings…

    And I would love love love to win a copy of Demon Marked!

  • Karen Mahoney
    December 2, 2011 at 3:20 am

    This is the Best Post Ever.

    *happy Wonder Woman sigh*

    I agree with so much of Meljean’s awewsome WW rant. heh. I would also like to add that my favourite WW writer in recent years was Greg Rucka. I’m liking the latest revamp so far, especially Cliff’s artwork.

    I could talk about Diana forever, so I will stop here. Just wanted to show my WW solidarity. 🙂

    Kaz
    <3

  • Ginny
    December 2, 2011 at 4:50 am

    This year I love the TV adaptation of A Game of Thrones, as thankfully they did a really good job. So no beatings required yet. I just pray the next season stays as faithful to the books.

  • Keri
    December 2, 2011 at 6:14 am

    I wish I had had half the power of Wonder Woman! I’d love to win these books!

  • Nikki Egerton
    December 2, 2011 at 7:26 am

    I can’t think of anyone I want to beat round the head. Maybe I’m in too good a mood today. Come back to me tomorrow!
    I haven’t managed to catch many movies this year either. I saw Breaking Dawn which was Ok. I put that down to me expecting it to be completely awful, so Ok was good. I’m dying to see X-Men, I’m a huge X-Men fan but didn’t get chance and haven’t bought the DVD so it will be an easy present for me for christmas when someone asks what I want!
    Thanks for the giveaway
    x

  • MarieC
    December 2, 2011 at 7:38 am

    I’m a die hard fan of the Harry Potter books, so the second movie was a huge let down. It had some really awesome stuff, but it could ahve been so much more…

    Running a close second: thee film “Immortals”. Although Henry Cavill was TOTALLY worth the ticket, it could have done with some editing. Cannot wait for him has Superman!!!! 😀

  • Sweetiepiepen
    December 2, 2011 at 7:50 am

    I know I’m in the minority but I cannot stand the fact that the True Blood series is related to that Charlaine Harris novels. I wanted the show to follow the books; I hate that it doesn’t. I do still watch, though, so I can discuss with my friends & because the guys are hot. Of course. Great giveaway!

  • azteclady
    December 2, 2011 at 7:59 am

    Way back when…

    There was this tv show called LOST and it was amazing and wonderful and…I couldn’t finish the second season, as every second character was killed off and new and convoluted elements were introduced. I know that fans who stuck with it *waving cautiously to the Smugglers while hiding behind a chair* found things to love about it, but I just couldn’t stick it out.

    Haven’t fallen for a tv show since.

  • Sarah
    December 2, 2011 at 8:40 am

    YAY! Meljean is so amazing. She’s had a fabulous year as a writer I have to say. Great post!

  • Danielle Gorman
    December 2, 2011 at 8:46 am

    I was looking forward to Grimm so very much and I couldn’t even get through the first episode. I do like Once Upon a Time. I love your books and thank you so very much for the giveaway.

  • Anonymous
    December 2, 2011 at 8:52 am

    Doll, I totally hear you. I feel the same way about Catwoman as you do about Wonder Woman…and with the “big” reveal of the new movie Catwoman, it’s like seriously? That’s the best you can do? UGH.ugh.UGGGHHHHH. Not pleased.:/

  • Patti
    December 2, 2011 at 8:59 am

    My mom is a Wonder Woman fan. I remember watching the series when I was a kid. I liked Grimm for the first 3 episodes but won’t watch anymore. As for American Horror Story, I am stuck with it till the end. I can’t stop watching till I know if Violet is dead now too. Thanks for the giveaway.

  • laricosuave
    December 2, 2011 at 9:02 am

    I love Wonder Woman! I mug of her that I drink my coffee from everyday! I would love to see them bring her back and I nominate you to write her story line as I can tell you will do it justice. On a side note, I am so sad the Giardians series is ending. I sooo fell in love with everyone especially Michael. Can’t wait to read his book! I also loved the Iron Duke and am int he process of starting Heart of Steal. 😀

  • Lisa (starmetal oak)
    December 2, 2011 at 9:21 am

    I love Ms. Brook’s books!

    And now I’m going to try to catch An American Horror Story. Sounds creepy!

    Thanks for the giveaway 🙂

  • Heather H
    December 2, 2011 at 9:58 am

    I thought I was the only one who found Grimm meh. We’re still watching, as we like the sidekick, but Grimm himself seems TSTL. Really enjoying Once Upon a Time though. I like guessing who the people are. And Red just kills me, can’t wait for her story.

    Your WW love sounds like my Elektra love. 🙂

  • Na
    December 2, 2011 at 10:12 am

    This year had a lot of new shows come on and some long-running ones gone or changed…All My Children, Regis and Kelly etc. I tuned in to a few XFactor and Once Upon a Time and like them. But old favorites still rule, The Amazing Race 🙂 I have plans to watch The Walking Dead, American Horror Story and Grimm but don’t know if I will 🙂

  • Christina G
    December 2, 2011 at 10:27 am

    I totally have fangirl rants, too, about my comics! My biggest complaint is with the X-Men movies. THe first was great, the second okay, and X-Men first class was great. I just pretend X3 never happened (How, how, how can they kill Cyclops and prof X?). My biggest complaint with First Class was that we finally see Emma Frost, but she’s so much older than Scott (I’m a huge Scott Summers/Emma Frost fan 😀 )

    Once Upona Time has been good so far (I saw someone else comment on it), I’m just worried they will drag it out too long…

  • Sylvia Sybil
    December 2, 2011 at 10:53 am

    I too hate it when the powers that be think “Pants!” are the magical solution to everything. It’s like concluding that aspirin gives people headaches, because they always go hand in hand. Pantslessness is not the problem. Thinking that it’s more important for superheroines to look good than kick ass is the problem.

  • Sussi
    December 2, 2011 at 11:55 am

    What a coincidence. I just borght a WW t-shirt with the text “Girls will sawe the world”, only to annoy my students 😉

  • Sussi
    December 2, 2011 at 11:55 am

    What a coincidence. I just borght a WW t-shirt with the text “Girls will save the world”, only to annoy my students 😉

  • Stephanie
    December 2, 2011 at 12:31 pm

    I wanted Grimm to be good too! But, now I started watching the Walking Dead and I’m loving that. Thanks for the giveaway.

  • Patricia
    December 2, 2011 at 12:32 pm

    Everytime you mention Wonder Woman somewhere I need to get a new DC/Marvell fix. It’s horrible!

    That picture is so sweet!

    I feel the same way about Grimm, but I haven’t watched half of the movies you’ve mentioned.. Hmm.. Weekend’s starting tomorrow.. Heh.

  • Candice J
    December 2, 2011 at 12:37 pm

    I’ve been wanting to watch Super 8, currently on request at the local library. I also loved Cloverfield, count me as one of the three other people. Got to love JJ Abrams!

  • jeanette8042
    December 2, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    I wanted to like the TV show Grimm that premiered this fall but I was so bored with it. Love Once Upon A Time!

  • Patricia H.
    December 2, 2011 at 1:06 pm

    Oh my god! I love you. I love the way you talk and your choice of movies and your epic comic book Wonder Woman rage. You have a chibi Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman graphic on your post! This makes you awesome! I think I may have a girl-crush on you now. (I adore Sherlock Holmes and I am eagerly awaiting the return of Robert Downey Jr. too.) 8)

    Patricia @ Lady with Books

  • Alaina
    December 2, 2011 at 1:10 pm

    that is so awesome! thanks for the contest!
    hated Heroes after the first season.. and i second the Xmen movies.. and GHOST Rider! nick cage? really? and theyre making a SECOND one with him? come on!

  • Denise
    December 2, 2011 at 1:35 pm

    Life-long Wonder Woman fan, without the cosplay (not counting the youthful years of WW underoos which I wore for Halloween at least twice), and you just read wrote my mind. Great post, Meljean. 😀

  • Meljean
    December 2, 2011 at 1:53 pm

    @Candice – CLOVERFIELD! *headdesk* lol — That’s what I get for watching re-runs of Buffy lately. I add “dale” to the end of everything now.

  • Katy
    December 2, 2011 at 2:04 pm

    Grimm: disappointing
    Once Upon a Time: getting better as it goes
    True Blood: LOVE
    Vampire Diaries: LOVE with the force of ten thousand hurricanes! Especially brooding Mister McSexy Damon…

  • Meljean
    December 2, 2011 at 2:05 pm

    @Amy – Oh, I am no stranger to watching painful movies just because of who is in them, lol. The worst was another Milla movie — Ultraviolet. Parts of it looked very cool, but it was just … wow! bad.

    @Pam – Can I just “THIS” your comment a million times? I do love cheesecake art, I admit. But there comes a point when I don’t want to feel like every single woman in a comic panel is posing for a horny teenage male audience who is using it as stroke material. That’s one reason I am loving Cliff Chiang’s art on Wonder Woman so much — she’s strong and feminine and sexy, but I’m not wiping her nipples or her ass off my face when I turn the page, you know?

    @Katherine – my favorite version of WW isn’t necessarily with trousers, but with Greek-inspired warrior gear, like this. When I think of her costume as athletic wear (much like a gymnast’s) I think it works … but I can’t really blame anyone for looking at it and seeing a swimsuit.

  • janicu
    December 2, 2011 at 2:12 pm

    I don’t follow comics but even I was getting tired of the pants/no pants debacles with Wonder Woman.

  • Meljean
    December 2, 2011 at 2:14 pm

    @kara-karina: Confession — I haven’t seen any of the Twilight movies, BUT I might go so Breaking Dawn just for the birth scene. So if you’re anywhere in the Portland, OR area and there is a redhead sitting alone and giggling in the back row, that’s probably me.

    @Jess – I don’t think I’d be so irritated with the reboot and new origin if I hadn’t heard their reasoning for it: because readers will relate to her better now that she has a daddy and all of those related issues. Completely ignoring the fact that her other origin was perfectly awesome, HELLO? a LOT of readers know what it’s like to grow up without a father.

    I actually think it would have been a great storyline for Zeus to suddenly say, “Hey, I’m your father” in some way, and to push himself into her life and make her deal with that (and to throw a little doubt on the from-clay story.) But to just change her origin from a lovely story full of symbolism, love, and hope … into an origin that shows two pages of Hippolyta rolling in the sheets with Zeus?

    EFFING KILL ME NOW. Yeah, that’s awesome. Let’s compare that to Superman’s origin, shall we? And Batman’s? SCREW YOU, DC COMICS.

    Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

    Sorry. I have to go find serenity now.

  • elaing8
    December 2, 2011 at 2:28 pm

    For all the hype Grimm got,it kinda flopped.But I will give it a couple more episodes.I really enjoy Once Upon a Time.
    I haven’t seen a lot of movies this year but I did see Thor and liked it.
    Thanks for the giveaway

  • KB/KT Grant
    December 2, 2011 at 2:36 pm

    Poor little wee Batman. That picture is too cute for words.

  • MD
    December 2, 2011 at 3:15 pm

    I loved “Magic Slays”, too. That’s a really good series, and I am looking forward to the next one.

  • Christine
    December 2, 2011 at 3:34 pm

    The only show I have EVER watched consistently, if not religiously, was X Files. They just don’t make ’em like they used to.

    THE PANTS AREN’T GOING TO SOLVE THE FRICKIN’ PROBLEM.

    I know, right?!! That’s what Isay every time I get dressed in the morning, too. 😕

  • Deb B.
    December 2, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Strangely, I actually had a really good TV year this year. I discovered Parks and Recreation, Psych, and Big Bang Theory (yes, I know, I live under a rock) and am in comedy heaven.

  • Kaya H
    December 2, 2011 at 5:29 pm

    Oh man that was great. Grimm is meh for me but I love my Portland shows so I will keep watching. It is almost like groundhog day the way he keeps not noticing things and then not making changes in his life for the new shiit happening. Wonder Woman, keep it classic, you were classy like that.

  • kaetrin
    December 2, 2011 at 5:31 pm

    I enjoyed Thor quite a bit but thought Chris Hemsworth had a disappointingly short amount of shirtless screen time.
    Are they still making a wonder woman movie?

    Is love to win Heart of Steel. Thx

  • Teri C
    December 2, 2011 at 5:32 pm

    I know for TV I am taken with the Once Upon a Time, I had high hopes for Grimm but the characters don’t seem to change. My fav movie is the new Warren Miller ski film, I’s a now bunny like that.
    WW keep it real, not that crazy new set of redoo’s.
    I love Meljeans books they always have kick arse heroines and hawt male characters that keep me reading on for more.

  • Nicola
    December 2, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    Well, I’m a huge fan of Alexandre Dumas. Seriously, I have everything he ever published (which is a lot!) downloaded on my kindle. It cost like $3 – bargain! So, anyway, this meant that, despite terrible reviews, I went and saw the new ‘The Three Musketeers’ at the movies. And it was dire. At first I thought it was going to be one of those ‘so bad it’s good’ movies Meljean mentioned. But no. It was just bad. Not even Milla ‘multi-pass’ Jovovich could save it. Even though she wore grappling hooks in her corset. Oh, yes, indeed.
    On another note, Whilst I agree that pants for WW alone are not the answer, I am in favour of them. I loved the new Star Trek movie but did not love that the women were all wearing the 60s miniskirts as they headed off to battle.
    To conclude, Ive been keen to read Heart of Steel since the smugglers’ review.

  • scribe kira
    December 2, 2011 at 8:10 pm

    that picture is the most adorable thing ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!<33333

  • Shelleyrae
    December 2, 2011 at 8:34 pm

    I tend to avoid the movie if I have read the book and vice versa because disappointment is usually unavoidable. But I have only seen two movies this year at the cinema – the last installment of Harry Potter and the first installment of Braking Dawn and have read and loved both series in book format. There were things in both movies I cringed at and other things I loved. As for television – the best series ever – Buffy the Vampire Slayer which I won and watch several times a year LOL but the movie that started it all – UGHH. Grimm hasn’t made it to Australian shores yet and American Horror Story just started so i am yet to make up my mind.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Shelleyrae @ Book’d Oot

  • Malika B
    December 2, 2011 at 9:01 pm

    I haven’t seen 13 Assassins yet, but now i’m for sure going to rent it and watch it! This was an awesome post

  • Malika B
    December 2, 2011 at 9:02 pm

    I haven’t seen 13 Assassins yet, but now i’m for sure going to rent it and watch it! This was an awesome post. 🙂

  • Courtney
    December 2, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    I would LOVE to read these books!

  • Victoria Zumbrum
    December 2, 2011 at 9:15 pm

    I would love to read these books. They sound very good. Tore923@aol.com

  • Mary Preston
    December 2, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    When a show or production of some sort disappoints, I show my displeasure by shunning. I find it soon fades into oblivion. Incredible giveaway thank you.

  • Audra Holtwick
    December 2, 2011 at 9:51 pm

    wonder woman is a fave of mine, I think GRIMM is an awesome show – but I like ONCE UPON A TIME more
    audie(at)wickerness(dot) com

  • jenmitch
    December 2, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    ms brook, you are officially added to my list of authors i need to read. 🙂 thanks for the giveaway and post!

  • Alex
    December 2, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    This sounds really neat! Count me in 🙂

  • Sarah H
    December 2, 2011 at 11:07 pm

    Great post, Meljean! Also, I would love to win one of these books. 🙂

  • Quan
    December 2, 2011 at 11:45 pm

    Just wanted to chime in on the new Wonder Woman. I’m not posting for the give-away because I have the books and love em. I liked the story arc (not sure which writer) which had her getting a black pegasus (so cool looking), and going to Hades and kicking butt, followed by the reveal with Cassie being Zeus’s daughter :). So the new story arc works for me because of the focus back on Greek mythology. Her revised origin kind of works for me too- I guess because the “forbidden romance” aspect makes it more interesting than sculpting clay, but I’ll be following the series with a lot of caution. The origin is so different than the classic one that DC will probably do another about-face and change it back eventually- so frustrating ugh.

  • Beverly
    December 3, 2011 at 1:50 am

    Lol this was a very educational read about WW rant. I have yet to see super 8. I heard it confused the heck out of the people who watched it…

    And, yay! Giveaways!!! <3

  • Beverly
    December 3, 2011 at 1:51 am

    Lol this was a very educational read about WW rant. I have yet to see super 8. I heard it confused the heck out of the people who watched it…
    And, yay! Giveaways!!!

  • Beverly
    December 3, 2011 at 1:51 am

    Lol this was a very educational read about WW rant. I have yet to see super 8. I heard it confused the heck out of the people who watched it… And, yay! Giveaways!!!

  • Vivian
    December 3, 2011 at 2:28 am

    The books sound awesome!

  • Stephanie Burgis
    December 3, 2011 at 4:06 am

    I really enjoyed this rant! 🙂 And I love her steampunk series SO much. Please enter me in the giveaway!

  • Estara
    December 3, 2011 at 9:58 am

    I always thought that the Perez retcon was one of the best things that came out of the original Crisis of Infinite Earths (and I was lucky enough to be able to tell him that a few years ago, when he was signing for some crossover or other at a big German comic book store) – I basically stopped collecting WW after he left the title – after the first year? I think?. That and the fact that Superman was allowed to grow up with a loving family intact and not untimely ripped away – like Batman.

    But then I finally stopped US superhero comic collecting in 97 – too many new beginnings not enough clear plot. I’ve found manga fills my need much better and there is lots of manga aimed at girls and women. I can pick how strong I want my women to be these days.

  • Estara
    December 3, 2011 at 9:59 am

    Gah, don’t enter me into the giveaway – I have all the books and one I actually already one on Meljean’s blog!

  • JenM
    December 3, 2011 at 11:38 am

    I’m still bitter over the last two seasons of Buffy. Even though it would have meant none of those memorable sex scenes between Buffy and Spike, I still wish they would have ended it after Buffy’s death at the end of season 5. And the worst was that the hated little sister (whose name I’m mercifully blanking on) was STILL on the show when they brought it back on the new network.

  • Jen B.
    December 3, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    OMG! I need all 3 books. My wish list would thank you. Thanks for the giveaway. I just don’t get Wonder Woman wearing pants! I mean, she is a freakin’ gorgeous Amazon. Put that chick in a tiny bathing suit costume and let her work it!
    jepebATverizonDOTnet

  • Summer
    December 3, 2011 at 2:38 pm

    me please!

  • Michelle K
    December 3, 2011 at 3:29 pm

    Yeah, I’d actually like to beat up the people who did the audiobook of Angels of Darkness, because they didn’t include 1 of the 4 short stories from the book on the cd. What kind of baloney is that?! Now I have to find the book after buying the audio cd, and I’m mad about that.

  • Brenda Hyde
    December 3, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    What? People have a problem with the origin of Wonder Woman? What the hell– people can believe all of the various Greek myths and have no problem with it. I’ve always been really confused about the constant changes/reboots with Wonder Woman. We almost had Joss Wheadon making a movie but apparently the studio didn’t like what he was doing. I personally think he would have brought us a kick ass Wonder Woman! Sigh.

    Thanks for the very cool interview!

  • Stephanie
    December 3, 2011 at 6:02 pm

    I would love to be entered. They look so good!

  • Breanne M.
    December 3, 2011 at 6:51 pm

    I’ve been meaning to give one of these series a try… thanks for the contest!

  • Pam P
    December 3, 2011 at 11:03 pm

    Wonder Woman has always been a favorite for me, I, too, would never imagine her in pants. I’ve read all of Meljean’s books and novellas except Angels of Darkness – love both series!

  • Patti (Caught in a FAB Romance)
    December 4, 2011 at 9:06 am

    Loved the WW rant!
    I didn’t get into American Horror Story but I am all the way in The Walking Dead. Love it!!! I’m not normally a fan of the zombie genre but for some reason I can’t stop watching.

    lovesfabromance at cox dot net

  • Cindy C
    December 4, 2011 at 9:10 am

    Please count me in.

  • hapax
    December 4, 2011 at 10:40 am

    Oh, Wonder Woman. How I love you, and how all your (male) writers and artists seem to hate you. But no matter how hard they try and stuff you into one of Man’s World’s boxes, you always bust your way out again at the end.

    Still waitin’, and hopin’ …

    Oh, and Meljean Brook — Great essay! I’d love a copy of HEART OF STEEL to use as a loaner, because, c’mon, who doesn’t want to read about an airship pirate heroine?

  • LaurieF
    December 4, 2011 at 11:04 am

    I have all three books but would love a copy of “Heart of Steel” for a friend. I love the author’s humor, it comes through in everything she writes, books, essay’s, etc.. I’m a huge fan.

  • D
    December 4, 2011 at 4:34 pm

    I would love to have a copy of Angels of Darkness.

    I was so unhappy at all the changes made to “The Dark is Rising”. There were so many changes from the book version I no longer had any interest in seeing the movie at all.

    As for comics I’ve been tired of the reboots every few years. My favorite series was DC’s Legion of Super-Heroes. I was fine with the reboot after Crisis (1985), but the continuous reboots after that drove me away from comics.

  • jenn
    December 4, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    I share your WW rage, though you’ve expressed it much more eloquently than I ever have. I had high hopes for the Green Lantern movie but it really disappointed. One DC-based show that I did like that never really took off properly: Birds of Prey. I liked the basics though there were definitely some issues. 🙂

  • TaraR
    December 5, 2011 at 8:06 am

    I liked Thor, but even though I’ve heard excellent things about it, have yet to watch X-Men: First Class. That oughta be next on my list…

  • Rin
    December 5, 2011 at 8:40 am

    I enjoyed Thor, liked Captain America more and loved X-Men: First Class. My entire summer was blocked by comic book movies. I was a happy girl!

  • Anneela
    December 5, 2011 at 10:03 am

    Hi All,

    Count me in for the draw.

    @ Meljean: I agree with your opinion on Green Lantern. I my case I just took a nap in the cinema.

  • Susan Laura
    December 5, 2011 at 12:25 pm

    Wow! I now know a lot more about Wonder Woman. And I totally agree about TV’s “Grimm”. The premise has great potential but the writing & acting isn’t living up to it. I keep going back just because I like the werewolf side-kick. He gets the best lines!

  • erinf1
    December 6, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    Please don’t enter me in the contest, as I own all 3 already 😉 Just wanted to say love Meljean, love all her series and especially love when she guest post anywhere cuz it’s usually awesome! And this is no exception– learned more WW than I’d ever heard anywhere! Thanks for some great movie recommendations!

  • Nicola
    December 6, 2011 at 6:38 pm

    Because I am a massive Alexandre Dumas fan (seriously, I downloaded everything he ever wrote onto my Kindle) I went and saw the new The Three Musketeers moofy. And it was dire. I had seen the dodgy reviews and hoped it would be of the so-bad-it’s-good-or-at-least-funny variety. It was not. Not even Milla ‘multi-pass’ Jovovich could save it, despite being the kind of chick who hides grappling hooks in her corset. Oh, yes. I’m not a purist. If they’d made her character, ‘Milady’, the hero of the piece (as it kind of seemed they were going to at one point) it could have worked out. But, no. Just … no.

    Anyway, I have been hanging out to read ‘Heart of Steel’ since it got a rave review here from the smugglers, so please enter me to win.

  • Kathryn
    December 7, 2011 at 7:16 am

    I love Meljean Brook! She has become one of my “I’ll read anything she writes” authors. Thanks for being a total fangirl, MJ. I had to dress up like WW back in college when I did singing telegrams for a brief period…(Oh, God…actors will do anything for money…) and I remember walking around the the stadium at a Chargers game. I’ve never had to act so hard in my life.

  • Maureen
    December 7, 2011 at 10:30 am

    I really enjoyed The Iron Duke and am looking forward to reading Heart of Steel.

  • darchole
    December 7, 2011 at 7:32 pm

    I read Iron Duke and Heart of Steel, but haven’t started the Guardian series yet – yet another series that is on my TBR pile.

  • Donna S
    December 7, 2011 at 9:51 pm

    I really liked the XMen cartoon and the movies were pretty good too. I couldnt even watch the entire Green lantern.

  • SandyG265
    December 9, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    I’d love to read these books. I’ve only had a chance to read one book by her and enjoyed it.

  • Spav
    December 9, 2011 at 3:14 pm

    I would love to win Heart of Steel. I loved the Iron Duke!

  • K. Hill
    December 10, 2011 at 7:15 am

    These books sound great! I’d love to be able to get to read them!

  • Samantha
    December 10, 2011 at 1:19 pm

    Thor was probably the first movie ever where I thought, “hmm, maybe if they’d left the romance out….”

    I don’t have a problem with WW wearing pants – sometimes it gets cold out there! But what I don’t get is why they just don’t give her a pair of GOOD pants?

  • Twisted Chaos & A Burning Kiss | Literary Escapism
    December 14, 2011 at 11:20 am

    […] author of The Serpent Sea – The Book SmugglersMeljean Brook, author of Heart of Steel – The Book Smugglers, Book MonsterNancy Gideon, author of Hunter of Shadows – Tynga’s Book ReviewsPiper […]

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