Author: Richard Parry

The Well of Lethe: 7

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Korvus exited the elevator on the medbay level. The lighting flickered, a sure sign of an ailing reactor or control system. Neither failure was survivable on Lethe. If both died, the oceans would hunger in, scouring the inside of the prison colony like the high-pressure acid bath it was. I need to hurry. He picked up his pace. Herald’s cannon was locked in its firing position over his left shoulder, ready for whatever might come. How much ammunition do we have?||:KORVUS HERALD:||It was a short jump, so there wasn’t much computational residue from the drive. It only leaves you eight shots in the Adjudicator. I know you’re itching to use them, so I’ll say this once: don’t. You definitely won’t survive, and I probably won’t. Second, I’ve got twenty rounds in the cannon. Twenty isn’t a lot.||:KORVUS HERALD:||It’s more than Read More …

Why You Liked … KPop Demon Hunters

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Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters surprised me—what looked like animated fluff turned out to be a heartfelt spectacle channeling Jem and the Holograms. Three K-pop demon hunters use music and swords to fight evil while tackling deeper themes: the lies we’re told growing up, crumbling expectations, and how ultra-wealthy oligarchs are basically real-world demons. With Spider-Verse animation, complex characters like antagonist Ji-noo, and messages about self-acceptance, it celebrates being weird as your superpower. It’s revolutionary female empowerment wrapped in catchy beats—proving your 2am TikTok energy can literally save the world. Read More …

The Well of Lethe: 6.2

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Navigating a ventilation shaft is grim, but for Korvus, finding what looks like shedded snakeskin is just the start of the weird. When he pops out, the guards are gone, his only company a sarcastic AI. Inmate Verity, a self-proclaimed former convict, helpfully suggests the missing guards went out the same way he came in, then accuses him of seeing God. Read More …

Why You Liked … Eenie Meanie

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I’m calling it: the Samara Weaving Effect is a thing, and Eenie Meanie is proof. I’ve seen her in everything from Ready or Not to this flick (a film that made me want to import a gas-guzzling muscle car). This movie gets her. This isn’t your daddy’s Ocean’s 11; it’s a heist of consequences where being a numpty actually costs you. It’s got car chases that’ll make you want to call a chiropractor and a story that’s less about a vault and more about feelings. Basically, it’s a crime flick with a therapy session attached, and it’s dope. Read More …

Why You Liked … King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

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Guy Ritchie’s 2017 “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” is the criminally misunderstood Arthur film you’ve never seen. Charlie Hunnam’s brothel-raised brawler talks like he runs a protection racket, fighting for prostitutes and orphans with genuine heroism. This isn’t courtly romance—it’s gritty, funny, and grounded. Warner Bros. planned six films but spectacularly face-planted after mismarketing Ritchie’s gangster-meets-legend vision. Sure, it mishandles female characters, but the visual spectacle still dazzles and Hunnam was born to wield Excalibur. A unique, entertaining take on ancient legend that deserved those promised sequels. Read More …

Why You Liked … Novocaine

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Get ready to feel everything in a movie where the hero feels nothing! I’m breaking down “Novocaine,” starring Jack Quaid, who delivers a pitch-perfect performance as Nate Caine – a guy literally immune to pain, yet who gives us all the feels. This action-comedy is a wild ride of dark humor and brutal, brilliant filmmaking, exploring what it means to find your inner hero. Plus, I’ll dive into how the directors cleverly make us accomplices in Nate’s “Pain Train™”—spoiler: we’re all twisted. Discover why this unique film works on so many levels. Read More …

4theWriters: How to Remix Reality (aka A Guide to Cultural Fusion in Storytelling)

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Ever wondered what Avatar: The Last Airbender has in common with 90s D&D arcade games? It’s how they raid the global spice rack to create fantasies we never knew we wanted. In my latest 4theWriters piece, I spelunk into the art of cultural fusion and give you my “Cultural Catalyst Framework”—a three-step guide for writers and GMs to build unique worlds for their novels or TTRPG campaigns. I even show how I used this exact system in my own books to justify werewolves that know kung fu. It’s a toolkit for remixing reality. Read More …