Oliver James
Bio
Sci-fi and fantasy - I love writing it as much as I do watching and reading it!
Stories (7/0)
Never watched Doctor Who?
Back during the wait between series 9 and 10 of Doctor Who I put together a list of episodes that would be worth a watch for new viewers curious of whether to watch the show. I set some rules - it had to be a single episode per series, the story mustn't be part of an important story arc and the episodes must broadly cover the tonal range of Doctor Who, but they didn't necessarily need to be the best episode from the series. I inevitably failed the second point so I think that it's time to take another look at the list, improve it and update for the last four series in the run up to Russel T Davies' second tenure as showrunner.
By Oliver James2 years ago in Geeks
The Vale of Dragons
There weren't always dragons in the Valley. Nestled in the north of the Summerlands on the border of Midany, the Vale of Craigalmron, bounded by sheer faces of rock on all sides but the east was smothered in a verdant carpet of ancient woodland. A river wound lazily through its base fed by the many waterfalls that threw themselves from the heights of the valley walls, blanketing the valley in a fine mist. Few villages had set down their roots here, the isolation making the valley a peaceful place. Peaceful, asides from the dragons.
By Oliver James2 years ago in Fiction
Doctor Who: Tension, Stakes and Bad Aim
In the most recent episode of Doctor Who, Eve of the Daleks, it would be an understatement to say that the Daleks were not shooting straight, and fans across the internet definitely noticed. However, this was met with pushback with others claiming that this criticism of the episode was just nitpicking. While this may seem to be an aesthetic or surface level criticism it actually has significant impact on the enjoyment of the story for a very fundemental story telling reason - the establishment of stakes and tension.
By Oliver James2 years ago in Geeks
Tales from a tropical Bristol
Gleaming sunlight reflects off the surface of perfect blue waters and the rocks of the palest grey cliffs. Vegetation, sparse but vibrant green, is sprinkled across the area of the small islands. Small reptiles scuttle across the white sands at the base of the cliffs sloping gradually into the shallow waters. Winged creatures are reflected in the waters as they swoop after fluttering dragonflies.
By Oliver James3 years ago in Fiction
A Hiding Place for a Elf, a Dwarf and a Centaur
Sitting in a verdant hollow between groves of pine and birch, a clearing of wildflowers surrounded a cottage of grey stone and dark wood. The lulling buzz of bumblebees accompanied a chorus of birds caught on the breeze passing over the grass of the clearing. The cottage was short with a crooked roof and haphazardly placed windows, lavender and rose bushes framing the gnarled wooden doorway. The roof of the cottage sloped into that of the stables, open and dirt packed it was home to two mares: one white and one brown. At the back of the cottage, lying lengthways and sharing its roof was the barn. It was small for a barn, and despite the pealing of the red paint it stood strong, keeping the hay and the farming equipment dry.
By Oliver James3 years ago in Fiction
Stories of a Lost Locket
The flames have almost died to embers in the pit in front of me. My cold fingers fumble beneath the blanket emerging between the fraying edges with a couple of small pieces of wood. The blanket had once been a vibrant colour, possibly purple, but it was now faded to match the muted monotone surroundings. I pull it tight around my shoulders and shuffle closer to the growing flames. And yet still the cold bites at my bones, finding me behind the rubble, under this roof of corrugated iron. A break between two concrete slabs reveals the wasteland beyond, the carcasses of buildings like this one lying where they had fallen as far as the horizon. Paper tumbles over debris. Flyers and birth certificates, magazines and office files. Now only fuel for the fire.
By Oliver James3 years ago in Fiction
