First of all, yes, I'm still around. Still writing. In fact, I anticipate needing a few beta readers in the near future. Be on the lookout for that.
The real reason I felt the irresistable urge to blog is the Disney+ series "Star Wars - Andor," which just concluded its final season. For those of you who haven't watched either of its two seasons, don't let the "Star Wars" category fool you. This is no campy adventure with Jedi and lightsabers. "Andor" serves as a prequel to "Rogue One - a Star Wars Story." As such, it's a dark, gritty, down-to-earth show with very little humor. If Tom Clancy ever got his hands on something in the Star Wars category, this is about how it would turn out. This spy/political thriller features some of the best writing I've ever seen, not just from Star Wars, but in general. Slow burn character development, pieces of the plot moving around like a game of chess, and the monologues. Holy crap, the monologues are the highlights of this show! The connections to other parts of the Star Wars franchise are just a bonus. But more than anything, it's an incredible story about the nature of power, libertarianism vs. authoritarianism, and how to retain one's humanity in the midst of war.
Seriously, no matter your thoughts on Star Wars or sci-fi in general, this is a show for all writers and story-lovers. It's a true inspiration and has invigorated me to redouble my efforts on my own stories. I hope it helps all my fellow authors just as much!
M. H. Barton (auguy86)