Review: Sapphire and Steel

This review was originally published July 2004, the DVD set having become scarce by then. Since then, the DVD set was rereleased by A&E Home Video in 2005, and can still be found at places like Best Buy and Amazon.

Sapphire and Steel (1979-82) (DVD)
Featuring Joanna Lumley, David McCallum
Directed by Shaun O’Riordan
Official DVD release date — November 18, 2003

“Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.”

The blurb on the back of the case reads: “The spiritual precursor to The X-Files, SAPPHIRE AND STEEL is one of the most atmospheric, mysterious, and compelling television programs ever made. Joanna Lumley and David McCallum star as alien investigators sent to Earth to monitor and police ruptures in time.”

Continue reading Review: Sapphire and Steel…

More KAMN Coming

As promised last fall, my old reviews from before I joined Dragon Page will be reposted here shortly.

I couldn’t decide if it would be better to repost them with the original dates (thus dating them before KAMN existed), or just post them new, with a tagline saying when they were originally done. Brian liked the posting them new idea, so that won out.

I’ll be reposting those reviews here over the next few months, probably one a week or so. Comment as you see fit.

KAMN Show #36: The Broken Lands

Welcome to Show #36!

Yes, it’s been a while. We’re still around, though!

Feature Discussion: Welcome newcomer ninja stunt double Jen Crawford. Jen is a big fan of 90s TV, so we’ll have to explore that in future KAMN episodes.

David, Brian and Jen chat about “The Broken Lands”, Book One of the “Empire of the East” trilogy by Fred Saberhagen, first published in 1968, and most recently printed in an omnibus collection of the entire trilogy by Tor in 2004. Book Two is “The Black Mountains” (1971) and Book Three is “Changeling Earth” (1973). “Changeling Earth” was later renamed “Ardneh’s World”, and a followup story, “Ardneh’s Sword” was published in 2006.

Fred Saberhagen passed away in June 2007.

Brief Story Description: In the distant future, society has crumbled. Dark forces now rule the land, keeping all humans under their oppressive thumbs.In the darkness of the shadows and whispered on the winds, there is talk of a rebellion. In the swamps, a small band has formed. Determined to regain their freedom, the rebellion, heavily outnumbered, plans to overthrow an army of thousands . . . with the help of one incredible weapon.

It is only a legend, a story left over from the Old World before magic and the wizards came to the land. A weapon of technology. It is the mystical Elephant, and whoever masters it holds the key to freedom, or defeat. One young man, determined to avenge the death of his family, sets out to join the rebellion and find Elephant. What he discovers will change everything.

It’s always about the elephant.

Listener Feedback: Give us some! You can leave comments here for the show, or at the Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas Forum. If you want to leave a voicemail comment on anything we’ve discussed, you can call us at 206-666-5266.

Books mentioned:

Promo: INFECTED by Scott Sigler
Link: Empire of the East (Saberhagen’s website)
Link: Wikipedia: Fred Saberhagen

 

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