The Sword and Laser discussion

There’s a classic South Park episode where Butters (in his Professor Chaos guise) complains that The Simpsons have already done everything. I started writing novels because I thought of ideas that I hadn’t come across in books, movies, TV series, or video games. I wanted to talk with others about these ideas, but unfortunately (for me) few talk about my books, and most of my friends and family aren’t readers. I’m not narcissist enough to think I’m the only person who came up with these ideas. I’m hoping some of you have examples that used ideas similar to my own. This way, I can at least speak to people about the ideas, the whole reason I started writing. I look forward to seeing the various recommendations.

To make responses easy, I’ll make a new entry for each of my novels. Thank you in advance.

Captivated citizens in a small city witness the super-powered actions of one "hero" and debate his identity and intentions; a secret that is even kept from the audience.

Bystanders is a superhero story with violence akin to Invincible: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1. The twist (I like twists) is that the reader doesn’t know the main hero’s secret identity any more than the characters do. The mystery element was something I’ve only ever seen in Mad Dog, a DC comic character. It had four issues in the 80s. The character was on Arrow for a few seasons, but he had absolutely nothing to do with the comic namesake.

Trophy Hunters is the sequel to Bystanders. It adds to that story, but the unique take here was a spaceship crashed on Earth around 50,000 BC. The crew of the ship were Eve (Captain) with her husband, Adam. Her officers included Odin, Zeus, Vishnu, Arthur, Quetzalcoatl, Baiame, and gods from many different religions. It serves as an origin story to the superhero powers of the modern characters. Only one chapter has the gods (called Gudz), but it was different. The Assassin Creed games have a similar feel, but not quite the same thing of all gods being of one people.

Sleepers and Scouts, aka Bystanders III, introduces the concept of war simply being a game. The Gudz characters don’t fear death because they have proof of an afterlife. The humans of Earth aren’t so accepting of this, so they fight like normal war. I thought it was interesting to show a different motivation for conflict. I know things like Secret Wars use war as a competition, but all still fear the stakes. Here, only humans worry about the stakes.

Our Contest ends my Bystanders series. The only thing notable here (besides concluding the story) is I have a fight on a space station in zero g. People have to push blobs of blood and spent shell casing aside as they fight. It felt pretty cinematic, so I hope there is a movie that does this.

The Chosen One needs an army, unfortunately, a potential ally has a Chosen One as well. Can there be a Chosen Two?

Augury Answered plays with the chosen one trope. Some consider two people from two cultures to be their respective chosen ones. They must unite to fight an oppressive regime, but who will ultimately lead? Can there be a chosen two? I’ve seen things with multiple chosen ones, such as the new Mortal Kombat movie, but they always work together. I want something with the politics of who truly is important, if any.

Big game hunting is good business Down Under, especially when the prey is the remnants of a zombie apocalypse.

Zombie Walkabout is a lighter story. It has people going on vacation to Australia ten years after a zombie apocalypse was placed under control. The tourists don’t seem to care that real people are essentially slaughtered for their amusement. This ISN’T Jurassic Park with zombies. That was done with the B movie, The Rezort. This is more like Fantasy Island. I call it a zom rom com, but not like Warm Bodies.

Two soldiers fighting on opposite sides of an interplanetary war learn that there are no good guys or bad guys in combat; there's only honor and dishonor.

I’m a Soldier of 19 years. I care about my fellow Soldiers, but I know the other side thinks like that about their comrades. I want a story where neither side is considered good and the other bad. My main protagonists should be best friends, but they were born on different planets. Many anime series work with this concept, but they still make it clear which side is just. I like the ambiguity of having to decide as a reader/viewer.

Phillip wrote: "Zombie Walkabout is a lighter story. It has people going on vacation to Australia ten years after a zombie apocalypse was placed under control. The tourists don’t seem to care that real people are essentially slaughtered for their amusement. "

It might be 10 years after our current "apocalypse" before tourist can come here 😉 We've been shut to tourists for 14 months and will be likely shut for another year or more.

Is it just the Zombies that are hunted? or the survivors as well? I hope us locals shoot back. Because, believe me, we would. 😉

Most of your stories have elements of other books I've read, but you have added your own unique take that gives them a new feel.

Tassie Dave wrote: "Is it just the Zombies that are hunted? or the survivors as well? I hope us locals shoot back. Because, believe me, we would."

Just the zombies are hunted. The Aussies are selling the tickets! Most Australians were turned. Of the survivors, most left the country. A few stayed out of loyalty to country or greed to turn tragedy into profit. There is one chapter where the guides check up on the Indigenous Australians living behind the wall, so to speak.