The Resurgance of the Western

This was sent out in response to someone that was commenting to me about the number of Westerns and Space Westerns that are comming out. 

Westerns will always be popular to a degree. Space opera is generally just a western in a different landscape. The western is generally about mankind striving to make it on the frontier. The frontier will usually be lawless or corrupt and the sense of justice of one man, that defies all odds of being killed, leads that man on a crusade to end that corruption. This is always done with a gun and lots of blood.




If Bruce Wayne was born in the 18th to 19th century, he would have moved west and been a gunslinger. The heroes are almost always vigilantes that have their own moral code and set out to defend the weak.



Even some of the villains were noble. Some would be the Robin Hoods of their time, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. They challenged men to fair fights. A lot of these villains integrated themselves into the native societies and learned the languages and customs; something the hero counterpart seldom does. Others were stark raving mad and had to be put down like a rabid dog. Both archetypes create interesting stories.



One of the biggest draws for the western are its basis in reality. The OK corral really happened. Billy the Kid did exist. So did Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday. Sure their stories have been doctored and exaggerated, but people actually did some of those things and they definitely had those motivations. It is really a study on how humanity will act when they are separated from the enforcers of common courtesy and civilized laws. It shows how a person can pick up and leave everything he knows behind and not only survive, but create something. Maybe a town, maybe just a small farm, or maybe a name, but that person can have nothing and build themselves up. The western is, in essence, the American Dream.



All of the above applies to space and space opera. Space is our next frontier. Space has the advantage that it is completely unknown and our imaginations can go wild with different creatures and strange civilizations. We still get to see a character make something of himself. We get to see how humanity will act, not just separated from other humanity, but surrounded by an alien civilization and we get to do it a hundred times over, sometimes in the same story.

CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh- Available Today

CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh
October 19, 2010
Science fiction/adventure/space opera
ISBN 9780981621067
Dancing Lemur Press LLC

To pilot the fleet’s finest ship…
Few options remain for Byron. A talented but stubborn young man with a troubled past and rebellious attitude, his cockpit skills are his only hope. Slated to train as a Cosbolt fighter pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth and begin a new life as he sets off for the moon base of Guaard.
Much to Byron’s chagrin, the toughest instructor in the fleet takes notice of the young pilot. Haunted by a past tragedy, Bassa eventually sees through Byron's tough exterior and insolence. When a secret talent is revealed during training, Bassa feels compelled to help Byron achieve his full potential.
As war brews on the edge of space, time is running short. Byron requires a navigator of exceptional quality to survive, and Bassa must make a decision that could well decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission that may stretch their abilities to the limit?
“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He’s experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Currently he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.
http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

How to Judge a Scifi Book by its Cover

They say to never judge a book by its cover, but sometimes you don't have anything else to go on.  Say you are in a bookstore and you are about to leave on a flight. Uh oh, they don't have the next volume of The Lost Fleet.   You have no other choice but to browse what they do have.  In these cases you can often find the book you have been meaning to read or you could take a chance and Judge a book by its cover. 

I will break this down by three subgenres:  dystopian society, space opera, and military scifi. 

First of all, all three can be judged by the rule of B.  Look for these three things:  Big futuristic looking guns, Babes- of the human or non human kind, and bombs blowing up, because explosions are exciting.  If you can get a book with two out of three you are sure to enjoy yourself at least a little.

Dystopian Society-  You want to see a city in decay.  Whether it falling apart because zombie hordes are destroying the future, Bombed out due to some war, or overcrowded till it is a shanny town, the cityscape shouldn't be bright and impressive.  These covers should be bright and the characters should look grimey and unhappy. 


For space operas, you want large elaborate spaceships and a really cool looking planet. There should be a lot of contrast on this cover.  You want the void of space with colorful planets and explosions. 



For military scifi you are going for simple.  You want a big gun with a big dude holding it, or a space ship engaged in battle.  It also never hurts to have an image of the evil alien agressor.

One day I will write my book and it will have the best cover ever.  A man with a big gun will be clutching a babe with his free arm.  The background will consist of a bombed out city with space ships floating above engaged in battle.  The sky will show a colorful planet in the distance.  With that cover the book won't even have to be good. 

Did I miss something?  Do you have examples of me being right and/or wrong?  Let me know in the comments.