During the course of assembling teams of warriors from the past and playing out the fictive fate of these historical fighting men, Jeth and I have discussed that a sequel might go Vunak of Antares one better. This book has been written for the benefit of a man we have never met, who has helped us in our home training, via videos we got for free.
This was for Paul, and will be sent to him as a belated payment for viewing bootleg VHS copies of his work.
In this endeavor we have been mindful not to place our inner minds within the subject, not to impugn him, or the venerable Bruce Lee, and to plot an ending at the outset that might not be overly offensive to their fans, students and, yes, disciples.
This latter point, having an agreed upon ending so that Jeth and I both had a destination to write towards, rankles my passive anarchist soul. I rarely have an ending in sight when I write. This, though, was the right decision.
I have a nascent outline, which is very bare bones, copied below:
Gladiator of Scorpio
A Planetary Romance
That is it. This is a novel I envisioned placing one of my fighters in, as I would not have to develop that character, and would give me the perspective to develop and present his friends and foes and the fantastical world of Antares, suffering under the Twin Suns of Scorpio, with more authentic detail and depth. I do intend to write this some day. However, if Jeth would like to continue our combat-oriented fiction collaboration, which has been agreeable to me, and also to continue developing this idea of Antares, of a prison planet that is used as a brood stock for seeding worlds with human slaves by its alien wardens, then, I am in.
I have proposals and questions for Jeth that I would also like to run by the readers, who may wish some input:
-1. Dual Viewpoint?
In Vunak of Antares the perspective is set and unilateral. But, for an open-ended sequel, that involves none of the characters, other than dear Charon, employed in the first novel, we do have two writers. What do you think of Jeth writing one fighter and I the foe, with perspective from both fighters alternating?
-2. Seeded Planet?
In the initial novel, Charon, MC of the Arena Antares, promises Vunak that the victors are granted a planet to settle with their slaves and fellow survivors. How many virgin or alien planet colony stories have science-fiction buffs had to tolerate from the perspective of conflicted scientists? Would not it be preferable to send an Iron Age sword king and his battle companions? How about sending the victors to a planet with an existing human population who have fallen afoul of the Lords of Scorpio? This strikes me as a possible third yarn. Is that of any interest to you, Jeth, or to our anonymous employers?
-3. Sorrowful Antares
I did paint quite a dark world of suffering multitudes living under cruel gods. Is there an interest for the next novel to explore that setting outside of the arena? Do you like that combined with arena action, and/or as a breakout from the arena and an uprising or attempt at deliverance from the cruel Insect Gods?
-4. The Lords of Scorpio
I have never considered where these bastards have their hive and how they get around the galaxy. Is there any interest in exploring this from the human perspective? Likewise, is there any interest in an errant Knight of Scorpio, an alien warrior that breaks out of the bug man mind and allies with a human warrior?
-5. Dual Heroes?
Vunak of Antares had that singular earth-drawn perspective. I have among my fighters, one man, that fits the mold for a Planetary Romance leading man. I am wondering, Jeth, is there a fellow fighter in your life, or a character out of history, perhaps an ancestor, that you would like to set alongside or against my protagonist in a dual hero novel? The story does take place under twin suns.
-6. Warriors from History?
This entire thing was originally suggested by Doc Dread as an exercise in comparative combat. He was horrified that we were risking a feud with living men by picking Vunak. It really is about the fighters and the fights. We have fictionally abducted and slaughtered near on two dozen of earth’s finest fighters out of history. The Lords of Scorpio thirst for more. Who should they be?
I have my ideas here, but would leave it to Jeth and our readers to cast more heroes into the Arena of Antares.
Thank you, Jeth, and our training partners and readers for making this exercise in comparative combat fiction enjoyable and even a meaningful act of reflection.
-James, San Jose, CA, 12/11/24
