I don't know about you, Legionnaire, but it feels like the world has been a tinderbox for the past six years.
I can't help but sense this undercurrent of power shifting around the globe. I usually steer far away from politics and worldwide affairs, and I tend to isolate all of that to social media, which, admittedly, I barely use these days.
But still… I can feel it.
Whether it's what's happening with Greenland, Venezuela, the ongoing conflicts involving Russia and Ukraine, Iran's regime seemingly on the brink of toppling, or the whispers of China's invasion of Taiwan…
It's all a bit overwhelming.
This is usually the point where I like to retreat into one of three things:
- A movie or TV show.
- A video game (which I haven't played in nearly two years, and am unlikely to do so soon. Kids, sigh)
- Or the third option: read or listen to a book.
And during times like this, all of the above tend to skew heavily toward fantasy and sci-fi for the simple reason that they offer a complete escape from the world we currently find ourselves in.
Now, don't get me wrong, there's a lot to be grateful for.
I don't subscribe to the idea that this is somehow the worst time to be alive. I think we've been afforded incredible privileges as a species in the modern age.
But still, it's during these moments — these periods of tension and mounting conflict — that I want to be expelled from this world entirely.
To be cannonballed into a realm that feels familiar, that borrows pieces of our reality, but has its own strife…
Its own beauty…
Its own way of doing things.
So, if you're also feeling this undercurrent of tension, Legionnaire, know that you're not alone. Even your Overlord and Saviour — the ever-wise and all-knowing — isn't immune to its effects.
And so, I prescribe you three remedies:
The first is The Divided Region, which currently stands at five ebooks, four audiobooks, and five paperbacks.
The second is Tiny Epics: Vol 1 — a collection of 141 microstories spanning fantasy, sci-fi, and a touch of horror.
And speaking of horror, there's also my formative work in the supernatural thriller space where I cut my teeth as an author…
Take your pick and have a great weekend.
Stay classy.
DJJW