Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Margaret Atwood and the Apocalypse

The Apocalyptic theme seems to have no bounds. Margaret Atwood, the Canadian author of note has penned a novel of Apocalyptic fiction herself. Some would say her book 'The Handmaid's Tale' was of the same genre, but this latest work, 'The Year of the Flood' is very much the stuff of Doomsday literature.

Reading the description offers a clear indication, this newest offering is indeed Apocalyptic ...

"Adam One, the kindly leader of the God’s Gardeners – a religion devoted to the melding of science, religion, and nature – has long predicted a disaster. Now it has occurred, obliterating most human life. Two women remain: Ren, a young dancer locked away in a high-end sex club, and Toby, a former God’s Gardener, who barricades herself inside a luxurious spa. Have others survived? Ren’s bio-artist friend Amanda? Zeb, her eco-fighter stepfather? Her onetime lover, Jimmy? Or the murderous Painballers? Not to mention the CorpSeCorps, the shadowy policing force of the ruling powers… As Adam One and his beleaguered followers regroup, Ren and Toby emerge into an altered world, where nothing – including the animal life – is predictable."

http://www.yearoftheflood.com/ca/

Feed your mind, read: http://www.the-judas-syndrome.com/

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

9 - Tim Burton's Apocalyptic annimation

Looks like Tim Burton has released (09-09-09) a Post Apocalyptic film ... how did I miss this? Looks pretty cool, and an original story line to boot. But you'd expect an original storyline from Tim Burton.
From the looks of things, it tells the story of a puppet that has been given 'the spark of life' from his scientist 'father'. This puppet (9) sets out on a journey of sorts - for what I do not know- and struggles against the machines that have seemingly wiped out the human race.

I'm intrigued, and the animation is exceptional.

Monday, December 28, 2009

The book of Eli.

The Book of Eli... I have only just heard of it. Is it an Apocalyptic film? Looks like it. But what is it? It looks like a movie set in the post apocalyptic genre, but I can't be sure. The trailer looks like it is set in a devastated world, a burned out city scape. When I have more information I will let you know. but for now, I'd say yes. It is an Apocalyptic film...

For an Apocalyptic fix to get you through to the release in January visit The Judas Syndrome. www.the-judas-syndrome.com

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Terminator Salvation, not that good.

I don't know, I didn't really like it much.
Did the writers see The Matrix movies too often and not realize they came to the same conclusion in this movie?
SPOILER ALERT!!!

Electric pulse weapons.
Okay, makes sense, but I found it all a little less than climactic.
The movie itself kept me entertained, visions of The Road Warrior danced in my head while I watched... It just seemed this movie borrowed a lot of stereotypical ideas and visual effects from other movies and frankly, didn't even feel like a Terminator movie.

I wouldn't see it again, and I've seen all of the Terminator movies a dozen times.
Oh well, I think they killed the Terminator franchise with this one.

Looking for an original take on the end of the world? Pick up The Judas Syndrome. www.the-judas-syndrome.com

Saturday, December 5, 2009

The Judas Syndrome, write up by Sandra Bolan

Michael Poeltl and The Judas Syndrome write up:

December 04, 2009 05:48 PM

BY SANDRA BOLAN Michael Poeltl sees the world through glasses that are a little murkier than rose coloured.
So it wasn't hard to believe his first foray into authorship would centre around a post-apocalyptic world.
Described as a hybrid between William Golding's Lord of the Flies and Cormac McCarthy's The Road, with a hint of Hunter S. Thompson thrown in, The Judas Syndrome is about a group of friends who just graduated from high school and celebrated by going on a camping trip. However, upon their return to civilization, they realize there is no civilization, as the world has disintegrated and they must figure out how to survive.
"I've always had this story line I wanted to use and it lends itself to the end-of-the-world scenario," the transplanted Stouffville District Secondary School graduate said in his new home in Hamilton.
Mr. Poeltl actually started writing the book 15 years ago, but got sidetracked by a career in interpretive illustration.
"It turned out at the time, when I had to make the decision, art was more my forte," he said.
However, Mr. Poeltl spent much of his illustrating career working with authors who also thrived in the darker side of the literary scale.
"I was able to learn quite a bit from the writers I was involved with," he said. "This book almost became a graphic (novel) but it was an awful lot of work. ... (And I believed) it was a good enough book to stand on its own as a novel."
Last year, Mr. Poeltl finally finished the book, after accepting some editing help from a friend.
"That propelled me to actually look at publishing," he said.
However, like many first-time authors these days, Mr. Poeltl opted to self-publish the book.
"The angle I'm taking is to self publish and accrue as many reviews as I can and (utilize) free marketing through the Internet," he said.
It seems to be working. On amazon.com, where the book is available, reviews include: "Although I don't usually read apocalyptic fiction, the Internet buzz about The Judas Syndrome was so intense that I decided to check it out. I'm glad I did" and "The surprising but entirely believable ending was a big plus."
Next up for Mr. Poeltl is illustrating a children's book he and his wife Lisa are currently working on.
"It too has a dark side; I like the dark side," he said.

Read the interview in its entirety at: http://www.yorkregion.com/article/100294
http://www.the-judas-syndrome.com/