Assassin's Creed TV Series: Why It's So Hard To Adapt Video Games For The Screen

Michael Fassbender in the Assassin’s Creed film. (20th Century Fox/Youtube)

The Assassin’s Creed franchise is leaping forward (off the top of a building, presumably) with the release of the 12th game in the series – Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – and the recent announcement of an upcoming Netflix show.

While the games are hugely popular, we will have to hope this new show is an improvement on the 2016 film. It had great actors playing bland characters, and perfectly adequate action scenes but no discernible narrative content. Indeed, Assassin’s Creed provides a classic lesson on the difficulties of turning even an expansive, multi-dimensional gaming world into a story that’s suitable for other formats.

The Assassin’s Creed games use the framing device of a present-day conflict and the dramatically recreated memories of the characters’ ancestors in historical periods. These memories form the main action of the game and its main appeal. If anything, the present-day plot elements seem rather odd and superfluous by comparison.

For instance, in the first game (2007), the player controls a 12th-century Levantine assassin named Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad during the Third Crusade. His 21st-century descendant, Desmond Miles, is forced to experience Altaïr’s life so that the present-day Templars can find prehuman artefacts known as Pieces of Eden. If that doesn’t sound like it makes much sense, well, it doesn’t.

This is no Shakespearean play-within-a-play device with two separate narratives that merely reflect and comment on each other. Rather, the stories directly affect one another – you must go into the past to uncover the secret locations of present-day artefacts.

Incoherent narrative

Assassin’s Creed never really attempts the moral depth and world-shaking decisions of, say, the critically-acclaimed Deus Ex videogame franchise. Deus Ex’s background of warring conspiracies is nuanced enough that the player feels that real choices are being made.

The 2016 Assassin’s Creed movie was bad partly because the entire franchise – despite its many genuinely brilliant qualities of gameplay, atmosphere, and graphics – is narratively incoherent. This might be forgivable in a game built around atmosphere, cool weaponry and stylish moves, but it’s not enough for a viable film.

There are great examples of transmedia storytelling across multiple formats, such as the Marvel cinematic universe, Tolkein’s Middle-Earth or, indeed, Deus Ex. In these cases, each new book, film or game builds on the narrative of the previous ones while maintaining a sense of wonder and the unknown. But the Assassin’s Creed franchise doesn’t bother making the effort, as though its creators Ubisoft believe the occasional media studies experts who suggest that videogames should stay in their lane and not even try to tell stories.

It seems snobbish to assume that video games are just no good at narrative, but it’s almost as reductive to believe they should emulate filmic storytelling instead of embracing videogames’ unique strengths. Interactivity, agency, emotional engagement and immersion combine to provide players with experiences that would be impossible to achieve in purely linear stories.

The structure of games is inherently different from that of films, and this is most apparent when it comes to endings. Writing a narratively satisfying ending for a novel or film is notoriously tough – and even tougher if you also have to give your audience the choice of how to finish the story.

Every time you let the player make a significant yes or no decision in gameplay, you double the number of possible endings. No storyteller wants to have to come up with hundreds of satisfactory endings.

Game designers have a variety of tricks available to reduce that number, giving the illusion of choice while gradually steering the player back onto the main plot. Still, most players will be happier if the series of interesting decisions include more than just selecting tactical options to overcome challenges. They need ethically weighty choices that empower them to playfully explore their value systems.

From winging it to fixing it?

The Assassin’s Creed franchise seems to have been winging it with its worldbuilding since the start, each story building haphazardly on the previous ones. I see three ways forward.

They could continue to ignore concerns about coherence, concentrate on cool stunts and environments, and hope that fans will accept new instalments as merely each new creative team’s take. But the narrative threads sprawl so much that it’s going to be a tough sell.

A still from the very first Assassin’s Creed (2007). (Ubisoft/IGDB)

If the new series is going to be any good, it would be better to bring in a good universe runner. Someone who can work out how most of the universe hangs together and cut out the bits that don’t.

Alternatively, they could start again, with a worldbuilding process not just a story idea. Videogames can tell amazing stories, despite what their detractors may think, but they do need a consistent background in which to set those stories. Creating a believable world first, would only make the next franchise stronger.

About Today's Contributor:

Ian Sturrock, Senior Lecturer in Game Design and Games Studies, Teesside University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

The Knight Bros. Slay COVID-19 [Video Included]

Wee Beasties - Written and Illustrated by Dr. David Knight, Music by Bradford Knight (The Knight Bros.) - a handwashing book and song for kids

Amid ongoing pressure from COVID-19 to keep kids and communities healthy, The Knight Bros. have created an illustrated children's book and song called Wee Beasties, that uses humor, art and rhyming verse to encourage good handwashing habits for early learners age 2 – 8, releasing November 16, 2020.

Wee Beasties is the first in a series of new illustrated books and songs by two brothers. Author and illustrator, Dr. David Knight, is a professor from Colorado State University who was en route to help lead an international program in Wuhan, China when the coronavirus effectively changed the world and put everyone on lockdown. His brother, Bradford Knight, is a singer-songwriter-musician living in southern California. 

• In an unexpected twist of fate, the brothers found themselves quarantined together for five-months, giving rise to a steady stream of creativity and the launch of The Knight Bros. Their works now include more than two dozen titles.

The Knight Bros. (image via theknightbros.com)

Commenting on Wee Beasties, Colleen Fracisco, a veteran nurse of 25 years' experience, said, "This book and song are great tools for parents and teachers to make handwashing meaningful for children. The book takes a hilarious look at germs and how they need to be washed away. It will help build quality hand hygiene skills that will last!" 

Preschool teacher, Kelly Gross, who has two decades of teaching experience at Los Angeles Unified School District, said, "Wee Beasties is an adorable picture book bound to inspire my preschoolers to wash their hands. The author's peppy and engaging rhyming text, combined with the bright and vibrant illustrations, and a creative song, lead to a fun reading and singing experience."

The Video:

Five more titles from The Knight Bros. collection will be released November 23 and December 12, building on safe, clean themes that both entertain and educate. 

• BONNIE McBOWER is about a girl who has an insatiable showering experience 
• BRUSHING brings attention to oral hygiene 
• SMELLY FEET focuses on cleaning relentlessly stinky feet
• BALLOON and ROLLER COASTER promote safety

Imparting important life lessons in a humorous way is the common thread woven through The Knight Bros. stories. While the primary audience is younger, the big kid in many of us will also enjoy it. 

SOURCE: The Knight Bros.

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• Korean Pop Music Video "Be The Future" Released to Media and Schools to Urge Youth to Stay Safe During COVID-19 [Video Included]
• Hip Hop Public Health Launches 20 Seconds or More Initiative Harnessing the Power of Music to Encourage Hand Washing and Other Safety Protocols Amongst Young People to Battle the COVID-19 Pandemic
• "Corona Wuhan Na" - New Coronavirus Comedy Song But With A Serious Message [Video And Lyrics Included]

Nov 17: Next-Generation Honda Civic Prototype To Be Revealed On Twitch! [Teaser Included]

Honda is giving gaming and automotive enthusiasts a first glimpse of what's in store for America’s best-selling car with the world debut of the all-new 11th-generation Civic, in prototype form, Tuesday, Nov. 17 live on Honda’s Head2Head Twitch channel.

Honda is giving gaming and automotive enthusiasts a first glimpse of what's in store for America's best-selling car with the world debut of the all-new 11th-generation Civic, in prototype form, Tuesday, Nov. 17 live on Honda's Head2Head Twitch channel. 

• This special edition episode of Honda Head2Head on Twitch will begin live at 5 p.m. PST, with the Civic reveal set to start at 6:45 p.m. PST. 

• The reveal also will feature an exclusive live performance by Grammy-nominated ART@WAR/Atlantic Records recording artist, Cordae.

Honda's iconic Civic, the No. 1 vehicle for young, first-time and multicultural consumers, will undergo a full redesign that once again raises the bar for style, performance, safety and advanced technology in the compact car market. 

Nov 17: Next-Generation Honda Civic Prototype To Be Revealed On Twitch! (screengrab)

A teaser image and video released today give viewers a glimpse of the all-new Honda Civic through a geometric looking glass, which will all take shape to fully reveal the new Civic on Nov. 17.

Since it was first introduced in America in 1973, Civic has brought nearly 12 million U.S. customers into the Honda family. The all-new Civic Sedan will launch in late Spring 2021 as a 2022 model-year vehicle.

Honda and Esports:

Honda has a significant presence in gaming and esports, as the exclusive automotive partner of Team Liquid and the Riot Games League of Legends Championship Series. In addition, Honda's gaming strategy includes a partnership with Twitch, where the Honda Head2Head gaming channel, now in its third season, is the exclusive auto-branded channel on the platform.

With Twitch's average daily visitors reaching 17.5 million, Honda aims to grab the attention of the audience behind the explosive growth of esports. These deeply enthusiastic fans share a similar passion for Civic, making the nameplate America's most popular among all vehicles with Millennial, Gen Z and multicultural consumers. Honda's integration of the all-new Civic on its Head2Head Twitch channel one-ups the brand's commitment in the gaming space.

The Civic reveal on Honda's Head2Head Twitch channel will be hosted by Rachel Seltzer and MonsterDface. The hosts will be joined by eight participants: Four top Fortnite players and four top Twitch streamers, including Benjyfishy, SypherPK, Jordan Fisher, Dakotaz, and more. The two teams will battle it out in Fortnite, the world's most popular battle royale game, ranking second on Twitch's most streamed games. Honda also will have presence on endemic gaming communities, including Twitter and Reddit, to support the reveal of the new Civic.

The Teaser:

More Information:

Consumers can get details about the Civic reveal and sign up for additional information about the all-new Civic at honda.com/civicreveal. More information, plus photos and video will be added after the reveal..

SOURCE: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

[Blog Tour] 'The Brittle Sea' (The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1) By Tom Kane #HistoricalFiction

Blog Tour: 'The Brittle Sea (The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1)' By Tom Kane

The Book:

The Brittle Sea

(The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1) 
By Tom Kane 

• Publication Date: 19th June 2020 
• Publisher: TigerBites 
• Print Length: 295 pages 
• Genre: Historical Fiction 

The Blurb:

The Titanic disaster is the catalyst that sparks a bloody feud between two families in early 20th century America. 

Magda Asparov is travelling from her home in the Ukraine to be the chosen bride of American businessman Matthew Turner III. But the ill-fated voyage of the unsinkable ship has far reaching consequences for her and her savior. 

Magda has lost her memory and a new personality, Maggie, has taken hold. The Captain of her rescue ship, Richard Blackmore, has fallen for Maggie. 

A mental illness, betrayal, murder, and corruption destroy Blackmore's life until all that remains is for him to seek revenge. 

Buy Links: Amazon (Kindle) • Amazon (Paperback) 

'The Brittle Sea' - front cover

The Brittle Sea – Excerpt :

Copyright © Tom Kane 2020

Magda’s Journey – April 1912

She was born Magda and her name became synonymous with early 20th Century American history. But in ways that nobody understood, Magda will be lost, and Maggie will replace her. But, for now, in this brief fraction of time that is being played out before us, we will call her by her given name, Magda.

In the here and now of her young life, Magda, with almost a girlish inquisitiveness, stole a sneak view of the mighty ship, though in reality all she could see was the side of the immense black hull through the gap between a row of buildings. She stood, looking through the window of the White Star Line’s ticket office, dockside in Southampton. The view between the rows of buildings was small, as was the view of the ship’s funnels, showing just above the same buildings.

“I’m not sure I can do this, Miss, not without proper authority.”

The girl in Magda soon dissolved and her face turned a grim shade of distaste as a small sneer crept up onto her lip. She turned and gave the ticket clerk full vent of her fury.

“I don’t care about what you think,” she shouted, the words echoing about the large but empty office.

The ticket clerk was taken aback and literally stood back at the force of the beautiful young woman’s angry outburst.

Magda didn’t wait for an answer and opened her daytime bag, retrieved her purse, opened it, and pulled out a large five-pound note. Magda slapped the money on the desk between her and the clerk. “This will pay for the changes I want,” she said in a much lower and sweeter tone.

Her anger turned to sweetness so quickly the clerk was confused, but he quickly laid his trembling hand on the large white fiver and slipped the money across the desk and into his pocket. It took a few minutes to issue new tickets, but in the end Miss Magda Asparov became Mrs Magda Turner. In just two days’ time she would be boarding the magnificent new ship on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic to New York, and this name change signified a new start to Magda. No more would she be a common peasant girl in Ukraine. Now she was a woman of substance, a woman with a place in society and a first-class cabin on the most magnificent Ocean-going liner of the day.

As Magda left the office, she breathed in the crisp sea air, ignoring the smell of oil and other unknown smells. She would soon be boarding, and the day felt superb… indeed the day felt the same as the name of the ship, Titanic.

The great day had arrived, and Magda was agog at the sheer mass of people, horses, and carts massing on the quayside. Even automobiles, unheard of where she came from in the Ukraine, a form of transport that didn’t need a horse or ox to pull it. It was something she had only heard tell of and never seen up close, a miracle of the modern world she now found herself immersed in. It was overwhelming.

Many people were forming orderly queues, awaiting their turn to embark. They were in the same situation as Magda, wide eyed and awed by the sight of the mighty ship. At the other end of the scale, and literally at the other end of the great ship, were the rich, the famous and some from Britain’s landed gentry, who were boarding with their families. Their staff and other servants embarked with the riffraff further down the quayside.

When Magda boarded, she followed a steward down the corridors to her cabin, all the time admiring the elegance of the surroundings. Placing Magda’s luggage in the room, the steward stood back, close to the open door, and coughed, once, very discretely. “Will there be anything else, Miss?”

Magda turned and looked the steward in the eyes. “No. You may go.”

The steward looked surprised but said nothing and closed the heavy door behind him as he left.

Magda had no intention of tipping anyone, not because her funds were low, which they were, but because she saw no reason to help anyone along the way if they were doing a job they were paid for. It would be several hours before the great ship was due to set sail, so Magda took the chance to go up onto the promenade deck for a stroll. On the way up she was passed by multiple stewards carrying large cases and more trunks of clothing than Magda had ever seen. The stewards all smiled at her, not quite out of politeness, more out of lust, being young men with mostly hot Irish blood flowing through their veins.

“Can I help you, miss?”

The man’s voice was rich and had a lovely lilt to it. Magda turned to see a handsome young officer, looking concerned. “No, I’m fine, she said. Thank you.”

“I can tell by your accent you’re from the south,” he said with a beaming smile.

“South?” Magda’s brow furrowed.

“Cork, at a guess.”

Suddenly Magda realised he thought she was Irish. “No,” she said with a small laugh, “I’m from a small village in Ukraine.”

“But your accent…”

“It was my father’s wish that I should not sound like a peasant when I was taught English. This really is the first opportunity I have had to test my language skills out. I must say, I am disappointed. I thought my accent was neutral.”

The officer’s smile broadened. “I think it’s a lovely accent, Miss. Now how can I be of service?”

“Can you point me towards the promenade deck, I wish to look over this lovely liner of yours.”

“Of course,” he said, turning. “Just follow me, Miss.”

Magda did as the officer bid and trailed in his footsteps, all the while marvelling at the magnificence of the Titanic. Once the officer had led her to the promenade deck he bowed slightly, raised his hat, and bid her a safe journey. As it turned out, Magda enjoyed her walk and in the coming days would spend as much time as possible on this deck, until in the early hours of one morning, fate took a hand in Magda’s life.

Tom Kane

Author Bio: 

As a child, Tom Kane's family always insisted he was born in the corner of the living room, behind the TV. That strange assertion, true or false, seems to have set the tone for the rest of his life. Kane's mother inspired him to write. Doctor Who and Isaac Asimov inspired his love of science fiction. Monty Python inspired him to be silly and he continues to blame Billy Connolly for his infrequent bursts of bad language In the corner or behind the TV, what is officially known about Tom Kane's birth is that it took place in England many moons ago.

• Connect with Tom: Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram 

'The Brittle Sea' - Blog Tour Schedule

An Anthem for Our Times: "Calm Down Karen" by Latin Country Artist Dianña

Karens whose bad behavior became TikTok-famous have their own song, “Calm Down Karen” by Latin Country Artist Dianña

Dianña has captured the social phenomenon that is the 'Karen' and put it into her new single "Calm Down Karen", now released to all major streaming platforms. 

Whether you have experienced a 'Karen' in real life, or seen any of the numerous 'Karen' videos on TikTok or YouTube, you will enjoy this catchy, tongue-in-cheek song about the 'Karen' experience.

"Calm Down Karen" is sprinkled with 'Karen-isms' like "Can I speak to a manager?" along with lyrical observations we can all relate to like "You're gonna lose your mind over really stupid stuff." It has a country flavor consistent with Dianña's position as the first true Latin Country artist.

Dianña · Calm Down Karen

"Calm Down Karen" follows only a few weeks after Dianña's latest Latin Country song release "Rubberneck Cumbia", which is a Cumbia style adaptation of her song "Rubberneck". Cumbia is a popular up-tempo genre throughout Latin America, and that energy was captured beautifully in a live video of its recording at the famous Sonic Studios in Texas, which can be seen on Dianña's YouTube channel.

Said Dianña, "I had seen many 'Karen' videos on TikTok before I witnessed a 'Karen' myself at a COSTCO store. I knew then I had to write a funny song about it.".

Country Storytelling with a Latin 'Cumbia' Flavor

• Check out "Calm Down Karen" on Spotify
• Check out "Calm Down Karen" on Soundcloud
• Check out "Rubberneck Cumbia" video
• Connect with Dianña on Instagram:
• Connect with Dianña on other social media

SOURCE:: Billeegee Productions

#WeWillHugAgain: Zalando Champions Positivity And Optimism With Their New Holiday Campaign [Video Included]

A selection of 'Hug Portraits' captured by photographer Sarah Blais in Berlin as part of the Zalando "We Will Hug Again" Holiday Campaign.

This holiday season, Zalando, Europe's leading online platform for fashion and lifestyle, is celebrating the ultimate expression of human connection and solidarity: the hug. Against the backdrop of a challenging year of uncertainty and separation, human connection has never felt more important and the new Holiday Campaign, "We Will Hug Again", seeks to convey the feeling of optimism and hope across Europe.

The campaign is brought to life through a series of Hug Portraits, intimate and emotive images captured by documentary and portrait photographer Sarah Blais. Complementing this is a heart-warming film, "100 Years of Hugs", overseen and directed by globally renowned visual storyteller, Vincent Haycock, and set to the track 'Godspeed' by legendary singer-songwriter, Frank Ocean.

The simplicity and emotional impact of the hug can be felt throughout the campaign. Whether it's friends walking arm in arm, a daughter hugging her elderly father, or couples of all ages, genders and orientations embracing – the protagonists throughout are real and relatable people, taking the focus away from staging, models and fashion and placing it on the message of hope for the future when we will be able to hug our loved ones again.

Sisters, Coleen and Bene for Zalando’s ‘Hug Portraits’ series, part of the brand’s “We Will Hug Again” Holiday Campaign, captured by photographer Sarah Blais in Berlin.

"The central idea of our holiday campaign, human connection, is echoed in the way we engage with our customers. Our strategy is to be social first, allowing us to connect and engage with consumers through relevant and relatable stories." Barbara Daliri, Zalando's Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing, comments, "It was important for us to address the exceptional circumstances and uncertainty of this holiday season and at the same time share with our community the feeling of hope for the time when we will be able to reconnect with our loved ones." 

The campaign launched on 1st November and takes place across two months. It kicked off with an initial tease phase designed to drive intrigue and conversation. This first phase featured the Hug Portraits appearing as huge unbranded murals in highly visible urban locations across Europe. They show two figures in an embrace, where the second person is missing and the question "Will We Hug Again?" is posed.

From 8th November, Zalando reveals ownership and releases the campaign's core optimistic message: "We Will Hug Again". This message of hope will be depicted across numerous formats: from the completion of the murals with the second figure through all advertising, digital and social channels, including the moving film "100 Years of Hugs" shot by Haycock, still photography by Blais, OOH, DOOH and owned social channels by the large and diverse cast of this campaign. The 360°campaign was created in collaboration with creative agency, Anomaly Berlin and will be rolled out across Europe, in all 17 of Zalando's markets.

Veit Moeller, Anomaly Berlin Executive Creative Director, adds: "This simple but powerful campaign is a promise for our future. The goal was to peel off all those outer layers associated with the Holiday season and identify the rawest and most iconic symbol of human connection: the hug. Shooting a campaign around the globe, totally remotely, during a global pandemic has been a beautiful challenge and we are excited to bring Zalando's message to the world."

The film was shot across Nigeria, Vietnam, Italy, Mexico, Sweden and Germany by four directors, beautifully curated by Haycock. Each film tells the story of one hug, united by a central look and feel, enabling all films to be cut individually or together. Further adding to its moving nature, Frank Ocean's 'Godspeed' is a track that epitomises the feeling of human connection and togetherness. 

The Video:

• :All images and video content have been shot in accordance with government guidelines on COVID-19, specific to each country at the time of capture. All safety measures were put in place on all shoot locations throughout the world to ensure every single person featured was respecting COVID safety measures. All models are real family members, couples or friends who live together and are permitted to hug and be in close proximity.

SOURCE: Zalando

[Blog Tour] Guest Post by Anas Hamshari & Caroline Snodgress Authors of 'Anke: The Beginning' #HistoricalFiction

[Blog Tour] 'Anke: The Beginning' by Anas Hamshari & Caroline Snodgress

Guest Post

By Anas Hamshari and Caroline Snodgress

The seventeenth century was an interesting time for Northern and Western Europe. It is known to some historians as the “General Crisis”—a name that emphasizes the widespread turmoil, conflict, and instability of the period. Even if one considers this name to be an exaggeration, or perhaps an oversimplification, it is impossible to dispute the fact that the century was marked with violence, and contained events which would have a huge impact on the years to come.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the century is that of its situation in a post-Reformation world. Before Luther’s Ninety-five Theses in 1517, there were no Protestant nations in Europe. In fact, there was essentially no Protestantism in existence for the people to follow. However, with Luther’s ideas of justification by faith alone, free will, and the condemnation of papal indulgences, the movement quickly began to spread. In 1525, the Duchy of Prussia was the first to formally adopt this Evangelical or Lutheran faith. Within a few decades, the Catholics were retaliating with the Counter-Reformation, and the religious conflicts of Central Europe were in full swing.

Almost exactly one hundred years after Luther supposedly nailed his Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, the Bohemian Revolt broke out. Though religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants had technically been settled before the end of the sixteenth century, tensions were still high. Eventually, the Protestant Bohemian estates became dissatisfied with the rule of the Catholic Habsburgs, and in 1618 they revolted against Ferdinand II, offering the crown to the Calvinist Frederick of the Palatinate instead. Though Frederick’s rule would not last for very long, this revolt served as a spark for the Thirty Years’ War. And, perhaps equally important, it also got countries in Western Europe involved in the conflict, namely: the Dutch Republic, and Habsburg Spain.

The Dutch Republic had its roots in the Reformation and growing anti-Habsburg sentiment of the mid-sixteenth century as well. The Dutch Revolt, essentially the first part of the Eighty Years’ War or War for Dutch Independence, began when Philip II of Spain came to the throne. He was a much more strict ruler than his father had been, and, before long, some of the nobility began to oppose him. This rebellion, combined with the clashes between Dutch Calvinists and Habsburg Catholics, hunger, and economic troubles, soon led to a full-fledged revolt. The Seventeen Provinces began to fight for their independence from the Holy Roman Empire’s House of Habsburg.

Though the revolt began in 1566, it was not until the Union of Utrecht in 1579 that the northern provinces of the Netherlands were unified—essentially serving as the foundation for the seven United Provinces, or Dutch Republic, which would arise at the end of the century, and be formally recognized by Spain at the beginning of the next. At first, Antwerp, the largest city in the Low Countries, served as the provinces’ capital, but in 1585, it fell once more to the Spanish. The population plummeted—a result of violence, and of Protestants fleeing to the north. The Netherlands was split into the independent north and the Spanish south.

The feud between the Netherlands and Spain, between Protestants and Catholics, and between the people and their Habsburg rulers, however, was not concluded by the end of the sixteenth century. All of this tension erupted within the seventeenth. The Bohemian Revolt in the century’s early years gave way to the Thirty Years’ War, which also incorporated the Eighty Years’ War in the Netherlands, the ongoing Habsburg-Bourbon conflict, and a handful of other interconnected wars across Europe. The entire continent was engulfed in violence, and, at the war’s end in 1648, it was a markedly different land. Within the Habsburg Monarchy, Protestantism was mostly eradicated, but Habsburg power as a whole had declined. The religious wars in Europe had essentially come to an end. Meanwhile, Dutch independence, in the north at least, was officially recognized, and Spain ceded all control to the land.

Seven years after the end of the Thirty Years’ War, we find Anke living in Mechelin, a city just south of the once-powerful Antwerp, in the Spanish Netherlands. While Anke herself is fictional, the dynamics which shape her life are not. Like the real people of the Spanish Netherlands at this time, she lives in a land still ruled by the power of the Habsburgs—or, as they are more likely known to her, the House of Austria—and by the Catholic Church. She was born into the war, fifty-one years after the Fall of Antwerp, and has seen the provinces to the north gain independence while her own lands remain a part of the empire. With the river Scheldt closed to navigation by the Dutch in the north, the population of Antwerp decimated, and the prosperity of the Netherlands gone to Amsterdam, Anke lives a life of relative poverty, and without many possibilities.

However, she is not without hope.

While religious tension was growing in Central Europe, around the world the Age of Discovery was flourishing. From about the beginning of the fifteenth century, to Anke’s lifetime in the mid-seventeenth century, European nations such as Portugal began to venture out across the water and set foot in lands previously unknown to them. The conquest and colonization that followed brought great profit and great prestige to many European nations, while simultaneously bringing destruction to the indigenous populations of places such as the Americas, so-called Ceylon, and Siberia. Opinions on the legacy of colonization still vary to this day, but even disregarding the question of morality, one can see that this Age of Discovery was a period which, for better or worse, changed the world as we know it. Religious conflicts gave way to battles over territory, as colonies changed hands, and new cities sprung up in lands across the Atlantic. When Anke lands in New Amsterdam in the autumn of 1655, there is less than a decade left before it will be taken over by the British. Before long, America will begin thinking about a revolution of its own—perhaps taking some of its inspiration from the Netherlands.

The seventeenth century was, without a doubt, a turbulent and bloody time. But it was also a time of change, of people fighting for their beliefs and making a difference in the world around them. It was a time of exploration, of new nations, and, in Anke’s case, of new beginnings.

'Anke: The Beginning' - eBook front cover

The Book:

Anke: The Beginning

By Anas Hamshari and Caroline Snodgress

• Publication Date: September 16th 2020
• Publisher: Exotic Reads
• Page Length: 111 eBook / 170 paperback
• Genre: Historical Fiction

The Blurb:

Living in the city of Mechelen, just south of once-prosperous Antwerp, in the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War, Anke Verhaegen, an ambitious nineteen-year-old, is determined to make the most of her life.

When her brother Johan suggests crossing the Atlantic to New Netherland, Anke knows this is her destiny. Together, the two set about attempting to secure passage across the sea. Before long, their plans are in motion, and hopes are high. Yet, with vengeful enemies, secrecy, and danger on the high sea waiting to be faced, will Anke really be able to secure a better life for herself?

Buy Links:

• Amazon + other places

Authors Bio:

Anas Hamshari

Anas Hamshari

Anas Hamshari is an established businessman residing in the State of Kuwait, and an author of one personal growth book and two historical fiction novels. Anas has been a lifelong writer and first began creating medieval fiction tales and short stories when he was seven years old. In June 2020, Anas formed Exotic Reads, a historical fiction self-publishing division in one of his main businesses, Exotic Flavor. Exotic Reads will be self-publishing a variety of historical fiction novels in the weeks, months, and years to come.

• Twitter

Caroline Snodgress

Caroline Snodgress

Caroline Snodgress is a first-time author but a long-time writer and ghostwriter. As an Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia, she is planning to double major in English and History, and is thoroughly enjoying taking as many fiction writing classes as she can fit into her schedule. When not in Charlottesville, she lives with her family just outside of Richmond, reading eighteenth- and nineteenth-century literature and watching plenty of period dramas in her spare time.

• Website • Twitter • Instagram • Facebook •

Blog Tour Schedule:

Blog Tour Schedule for Anke: The Beginning'

The Johnny Depp Libel Trial Explained

Reputational damage: actor Johnny Depp. (Yui Mok/PA Wire/PA Images)

On November 2 2020, London’s High Court handed down its hotly anticipated judgment in the high-profile libel case brought by Hollywood actor Johnny Depp over a newspaper article which labelled him a “wife-beater”. In his 585-paragraph ruling the presiding judge, Mr Justice Nicol, dismissed the actor’s claim, holding in essence that the words used in The Sun’s report were legally acceptable.

Depp brought a libel action against The Sun’s publisher (and the newspaper’s executive editor Dan Wootton) in respect of an 2018 article which was first published online under the headline: “GONE POTTY: How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?” The story asserted that Depp was violent towards his ex-wife Amber Heard during their relationship.

Depp’s case was that the article made seriously defamatory allegations which bore the meaning that he was guilty of serious domestic violence against his former wife. The defence maintained that the evidence showed the claimant “was violent towards Ms Heard on multiple occasions” during their relationship, and thus the “wife-beater” claim was justified. They relied on 14 alleged incidents of serious physical assault against Heard which had occurred between 2013 and 2016. However, Depp consistently denied the “reputation-destroying and career-ending” allegations.

The case was heard over the course of 16 days at London’s Royal Courts of Justice in July 2020. Importantly, neither Depp nor Heard was on trial. And this wasn’t a criminal trial either. In this libel dispute, there were two central issues: the meaning of the articles complained of; and whether the imputation conveyed by them (that the Hollywood actor engaged in unprovoked attacks and violent conduct against his ex-wife) was true in substance and fact. Mr Justice Nicol held that the meaning of the words complained of was as contended for by The Sun, namely that Depp was violent to Heard, “causing her to suffer significant injury and on occasion leading to her fearing for her life”.

The judge also expressly acknowledged that Depp proved the necessary elements of his cause of action, that his reputation had been damaged. But, under UK defamation law, if a defendant proves that the published words are “substantially true”, they will have a complete defence: they cannot be successfully sued regardless of the gravity of the allegations. In this case, the judge found that the great majority of alleged incidents of violent physical assault against his ex-wife were proved to be substantially true and dismissed Depp’s claim.

Was it all worth it?

Anyone following the case may have reasonably queried whether Depp’s action was ill-advised. Traumatic, intensely intimate and unflattering details of a tumultuous relationship apparently punctuated with blazing rows, a drug and alcohol-fuelled lifestyle and allegations of domestic abuse – strenuously denied – were uncovered in court and made front-page news worldwide.

A parade of witnesses, including A-list actors, strode into London’s High Court to support each side’s versions of events. The court heard details of a costly trail of destroyed property, a severed finger apparently caused by a thrown vodka bottle, profoundly acrimonious texts and “a large pile of faeces” left in a bed.

He said, she said: actress Amber Heard, centre, outside the High Court in London on the final day of hearings. (Victoria Jones/PA Wire/PA Images)

In addition to the revelation of unattractive details of his personal affairs, Depp had to shoulder a taxing evidential burden as a result of a recent Supreme Court ruling. The court’s decision in a 2019 defamation case involving two UK newspaper publishers established that the threshold test for “serious harm” in defamation actions has been significantly raised under the 2013 Defamation Act. This has made it more difficult for claimants to succeed in their actions.

Nevertheless, Depp must have considered that the trial was the lesser of two evils compared to unanswered reputational attacks of this magnitude. The conduct alleged was essentially criminal and highly defamatory, especially in the post-#MeToo landscape. The judge’s ruling suggests that the actor correctly assessed the potential reputational damage that the words “wife-beater” would cause to his future.

The heavy focus on Depp’s alleged criminal wrongdoing in The Sun’s article, the extent of its publication, the long-term effect of online libel and the undesired prospect of the actor’s removal from his role in a major film franchise provided a strong impetus for the claimant.

NGN took an equally bold, yet somewhat risky, decision. By relying on the defence of truth, the publisher was required to establish the essential truth of the “sting” of the libel. This means that it was not necessary for NGN to prove that every single aspect of the statement complained of was absolutely true, so long as, taken as a whole, it was accurate.

The standard of proof needed for a truth defence is that used in civil cases generally – the material must be proved true “on the balance of probabilities”. This is a lower bar to achieve than the usual criminal standard of being sure “beyond a reasonable doubt”.

Although one might think that NGN had a relatively easier task to achieve, it should not be forgotten that, when the truth defence is used, the burden rests on the publisher to prove that the allegations were true, rather than on the claimant (in this case, Depp) to show that they were false. This can give rise to further complications, as the success of a claim will regularly turn on the evidence in each individual case.

And when opposing accounts of what happened in private cannot be entirely ruled out, lawyers will struggle to persuade the court which version is more likely to be true. This is apparent in the position taken by Depp’s lawyers that “the claimant was not violent towards Ms Heard; it was she who was violent to him”.

Hence, media organisations may often be reluctant to defend libel actions and may opt for an out-of-court settlement to avoid the risk of high legal costs or damages. This was not the case with NGN, which nevertheless sought to prove true a very serious allegation. It succeeded, despite the challenges associated with this defence.

The case continues

The outcome was bitterly unfavourable to Depp, who arguably suffered a crushing defeat, with all that this might entail for his career. Moreover, his case has reportedly led to an estimated £5m in legal costs, and on top of that, he is likely to be made to cover a significant percentage of the winner’s legal costs.

The Sun, meanwhile, emerged victorious from a tense legal battle. The outcome may stiffen the resolve of the English press to report on matters of domestic violence, but it does not necessarily follow that the approach taken by the High Court in Depp’s trial is a uniform one in all cases.

The High Court’s decision doesn’t seem to spell the end of the legal battle. Depp’s representatives said they found the decision “as perverse as it is bewildering” and announced their intention to appeal. It will also be interesting to see whether the outcome in London can carry some weight and indirectly affect the libel rematch next May in the US against Heard herself over an opinion piece she wrote for Washington Post.

About Today's Contributor:

Alexandros Antoniou, Lecturer in Media Law, University of Essex

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

'Starsky and Hutch' Actor David Soul Releases New Short Film/Documentary 'America' [Video Included]

'Starsky and Hutch' Actor David Soul Releases New Short Film/Documentary 'America' (screengrab)

Actor/director and musician David Soul, co-star of the iconic 1970s television series, Starsky and Hutch, has created and directed a short film/documentary called America, based on a song of the same name.

• The song, written by Jack Murphy and recorded by David Soul 40 years ago, was never released - until now.

David's not-for-profit film, produced by Me and Thee Productions and available free across all social media, reveals America's story as illustrated in the song's lyrics; from her slave-trading beginnings in 1619, through the years of the Civil Rights struggles, to the inspirational, global, and long-overdue Black Lives Matter movement.

'Starsky and Hutch' Actor David Soul Releases New Short Film/Documentary 'America' (screengrab)

America, the film, is a reminder that our uniqueness as a country (often concealed in superficial patriotic bravado and self-congratulation) actually lies in our immeasurable compassion and love, as well as in our undaunting willingness to learn from our past and rise above our differences.

• The film, at moments graphic and challenging, is not always easy to watch, but in fact, it serves to embrace the collective heart and soul of our nation's diversity.

We are reminded by David Soul's America that we must unite together on "the Yellow Brick Road" in our continuing journey to form "a more perfect union;" in essence, to ensure that the promises of equality and justice for all Americans, enshrined within the United States Constitution, are finally realized.

'America' By David Soul - The Video:

• To learn more about 'America', visit StickTogether.us.

SOURCE: Me and Thee Productions

Sean Connery: 'Bond, James Bond', But So Much More

Sean Connery: the first Bond, and for many people, the best. (PA/PA Archive/PA Images)

Coverage of the passing of Sir Sean Connery has inevitably been dominated by his legacy as the screen’s first – and best – James Bond. Connery’s “Bond, James Bond” moment near the beginning of Dr. No (1962) is one of the iconic moments of cinema history and has spawned countless imitations and parodies.

Perhaps the most persistent myth about Connery, who was 90, is that he was an “unknown” actor who was plucked from obscurity by Bond producers Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, who reportedly cast him against the wishes of author Ian Fleming and distributor United Artists. But this is to ignore the fact that Connery had already established himself as a television actor, drawing critical plaudits for lead roles in a 1957 BBC production of Requiem for a Heavyweight and in the 1961 TV production of Anna Karenina, but also appearing in a number of meaty co-starring roles in Hollywood films, including opposite Lana Turner in Another Time, Another Place (1958).

It was reportedly his appearance in Disney’s fantasy Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) that drew Connery to the notice of Broccoli’s wife, Dana, while the British crime drama The Frightened City (1961), in which Connery as an underworld enforcer steals the picture from its nominal star John Gregson, was also evidence of a star in the making.

Nevertheless Connery was inspired casting as James Bond. Connery made the role his own to such an extent that it is now impossible to imagine any of the other actors said to have been considered – including Cary Grant, David Niven, Patrick McGoohan and even Roger Moore – stepping into the shoes of “the gentleman agent with the licence to kill” in 1962.

In this context an important point to remember about Bond is that Fleming’s character was not an Old Etonian establishment figure: he is even described in Moonraker as being “alien and unEnglish”. Connery’s working-class Scottish roots – he was born and grew up in Edinburgh, where his early jobs had included milkman, bricklayer and coffin-polisher – imbued his Bond with that sense of “otherness”. 

To this extent Connery’s Bond has as much in common with the outsider protagonists of the British new wave – Laurence Harvey, Albert Finney, Richard Harris – as the tradition of British screen heroism incarnated by stars of the 1950s such as Richard Todd and Kenneth More.

Sean Connery and co-star Honor Blackman in a publicity shot for the film Goldfinger (1964). (PA/PA Archive/PA Images)

Connery’s performance in Dr No is edgy and brusque: he really settled into the part in From Russia With Love (1963) and Goldfinger (1964) where he commands the screen with that indefinable quality of star “presence” that means all he has to do to dominate a scene is to be in it.

Beyond Bond

Bond brought Connery fame and fortune. He was paid a mere £6,000 for Dr No, four times that amount for From Russia With Love and a then-record US$1.25 million for his first Bond “comeback” in 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever (George Lazenby had taken the role for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969).

The lucrative remuneration meant that Connery was able to pick and choose his roles outside the Bond pictures. Indeed his non-Bond roles demonstrate just how versatile an actor Connery was. Alfred Hitchcock cast him against type as Tippi Hedren’s conflicted husband in Marnie (1964), and he excelled in two films for Sidney Lumet, as the rebel-with-a-cause in the hard-hitting military prison drama The Hill (1965) and as a vengeful policeman in the much underrated The Offence (1973).

Connery was particularly good at playing characters older than himself, including the potentate standing up to Teddy Roosevelt in The Wind and the Lion (1975) and an ageing Robin Hood reflecting on his own myth in the beautifully elegiac Robin and Marian (1976). He paired with Michael Caine as soldiers of fortune in 19th-century Afghanistan in The Man Who Would Be King (1975) and was one of the all-star cast of suspects in Sidney Lumet’s lavish adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express (1974).

Screen gods: Sean Connery and Michael Caine in The Man Who Would Be King (1975). (PA/PA Archive/PA Images)

There was, inevitably, the occasional left-field choice, but even the science-fiction oddity Zardoz (1973) now has something of a cult status. Connery famously said that he would “never” play Bond again after Diamonds Are Forever: hence the ironic title of his second Bond “comeback” Never Say Never Again (1983), a rival production outside the Eon Production series mounted by independent producer Kevin McClory.

Connery won his only Academy Award, a popular choice as Best Supporting Actor for his “Irish” street-cop in The Untouchables (1987), after which his career enjoyed a second wind as the world’s most bankable sexagenarian film star in a sequence of superior adventure and caper movies including The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Rock (1996) and Entrapment (1999).

By this time Connery’s refusal to disguise his accent had become something of a trademark, whatever the part. When Steven Spielberg cast him as Harrison Ford’s father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), it captured the idea that Connery’s Bond was the symbolic “father” of a later generation screen hero.

Feet of clay

Most stars turn out to have feet of clay: Connery was no exception. He attracted controversy for a remark made in an interview with Playboy in 1965 that legitimised hitting a woman (“An open-handed slap is justified if all other alternatives fail”). His Bond did this on screen in From Russia With Love and Diamonds Are Forever.

He also had a public falling-out with Broccoli, suing the producer and MGM for alleged non-payment of profit shares in the Bond films. Against this should be set Connery’s charitable work: he used his fee for Diamonds Are Forever to found the Scottish International Education Trust to provide financial assistance for Scots from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend university and college.

Proud ‘Scottish peasant’

Connery, who since the 1970s lived in Spain and the Bahamas as a tax exile, was proud of his Scottish roots. Ian Fleming warmed to Connery to the extent that he introduced a Scottish heritage for Bond into the later stories. Bond’s “I am a Scottish peasant and I will always feel at home being a Scottish peasant” – from The Man With the Golden Gun – might have been written with Connery in mind, although Bond was actually played by his successor, Roger Moore, in that film.

Unlike Bond, Connery did accept a knighthood, for services to film drama, in 2000. It is widely believed that his public support for the Scottish National Party had delayed his knighthood.

Connery’s last screen appearance was as Allan Quatermain in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), in which he leads a Victorian superhero team to save the British Empire. He confirmed his retirement when he was presented with the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

He died in his sleep at his home in Nassau, and is survived by his second wife Micheline and son (by first wife Diane Cilento) Jason Connery.

About Today's Contributor:

James Chapman, Professor of Film Studies, University of Leicester

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.