Of course, the ‘plank’ people are forced to walk in the TV series, The Expanse, is really an open airlock into the hard vacuum of space without a spacesuit. Instead of sinking into the briny, the victims float away and succumb to lack of oxygen (interestingly, humans apparently won’t freeze to death very quickly in space because a complete vacuum retards loss of body heat).
There’s plenty of ejection without a spacesuit in The Expanse Streaming on Amazon; this Saturn award-winning show assumes that humans will remain as violent as ever except, thanks to nuclear propelled spacecraft, now humanity can spread its savagery across the entire solar system. Even the 24th century UN is simply an autocratic global hegemony contenting with the Martian Confederation and the asteroids and outer planets. And people aren’t the only dangerous sentient entities lurking among the planets. This makes for good drama and binge-worthy watching – though there are lapses that I’ll note in future posts.
The Expanse is straight-up space opera, but to its credit, the series uses the broad canvas of inter-solar system politics to explore themes including idealism vs expediency; friendship, camaraderie and family; and the ambiguity of evil. The best science fiction uses a big canvas to tackle big issues.
So far, there have been five seasons of this on-going TV adaptation of Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham’s science fiction book series. A sixth and supposedly final season is planned. In posts coming soon, I’ll review other aspects of this exciting show.
I write modern fantasy novels that are hopefully both exciting and literate. These novels include an on-going series about a near-immortal magician who grew up in Camelot and grew famous in San Francisco's 'Summer of Love'. He's still having adventures to this day described in The Lords of the Summer Season, The Lords of Powder, and The Lords of Oblivion. The books can be read in any order.
As author S Alessandro Martinez has stated about the series:
"Lords of Oblivion
A 1500-year-old wizard. A pair of savage druids raised from the dead. Modern day San Francisco. A wolf that takes no gruff. Blaisdell creates a fascinating world in this magical realism novel with smart writing, complex characters, and clever use of history and mythology. I was sucked in from the very beginning. I look forward to more of Bradan and Tintagel's mystical adventures.
Lords of Powder
Merlin's former apprentice, Bradan, is back! The 1500-year-old wizard, who is sometimes too smart for his own good, returns for another exciting adventure, this time in 70s Miami as he takes on the criminal world of drug trafficking. Blaisdell's smart, fast-paced writing and use of fascinating history and mythology keeps you on the edge of your seat as Bradan uses his wits, charm, and illusions to navigate the modern era and get himself into plenty of trouble.
Lords of the Summer Season
Being Merlin's former apprentice and living for 1500 years is bound to make you a few enemies. Travel back to the 60s with Bradan the wizard and his otherworldly wolf Tintagel. As Bradan juggles careers as a professor and musician, he must defend himself from his greatest threat yet: a literal god. Blaisdell continues with his clever, skillful, and imaginative writing that will keep readers eagerly turning the next page. My favorite of the Bradan books, Blaisdell dives deeper into the Arthur mythology, and brings the reader even more elements of magic and folklore, all the while weaving an entertaining tale of gods, wizards, ghosts, and 60s acid rock. Thoroughly enjoyable!"
Besides the literary side of my life, my background includes membership on a scientific advisory board for a non-profit professional organization promoting the biomedical and digital health business community in the greater Los Angeles area.
I’ve authored both basic research publications and business management articles focusing on the bio/pharma industry. My Ph.D. is in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota where I also conducted post-doctoral research in microbiology. And my BS is from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) with a double major in chemistry and cell biology.
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Blaisdell Literary Enterprises 