It starts in much the way that many fairytales do: with the issuance of a deliciously mundane and vague prophecy that promises Mortuana’s eventual overthrow. Peasants are planning a revolt, and the evil queen must find the mystical “Shard of Acquiescence” that will subvert their plans so she can get back to things like enjoying her —er— boyfriends and lopping off anyone’s head who offends her (“No, and fuck you for asking. Off with your head….and put her heart in a box as well”). Of course, its not a fairytale without a quest. Mortuana and JoJo must not only find the shard, but must do so navigating bad romances, weird fetishes, sexual tension with unlikely gods, strange creatures, calls from mothers, and even managing fake news and a political uprising led by Bernabus Fanders (ahem), a “120-year-old tub of whitefish salad.” Fanders has, unlikely as it seems, risen up to lead a rebellion against Queen Mortuana on a platform of equality and basic human rights (“Like he’s ever seen the business end of a bathtub—strop trying to convince us that you’ve bathed”)—an outrageous and yet shockingly accurate look through the magic looking glass at today’s often-zany political climate. Naturally, Bernabus (and any resemblance of reason) is quickly dispatched as the ongoing rebellion descends into the kind of shenanigans and celebrity endorsements we’ve come to expect in media coverage today.

A fairytale for adults that is ripe with both quintessential storybook elements but with enough tongue-in-cheek social critique and witty punning (There are medieval infomercials! Bards! Probably virgins! Support groups for the recently cursed!) to make it distinctly modern, Heads Will Roll is an auditory masterpiece fit for (an evil) queen. But be warned: this isn’t a fairytale you want your kids to hear. Featuring a sketch comedy-vibe and an ensemble cast that includes the voice talents of Meryl Streep, Tim Gunn, Peter Dinklage, and Carol Kane, Heads Will Roll is an adult comedy. Not only is the subject matter itself mature, but the humour is also rather crude, running the gamut from what might be chuckle-worthy after a glass of wine to what will have you struggling to draw breath between guffaws around the bottom of the rum barrel. Still, above all else, this is a tale about sisterhood, about power and powerlessness, and about friendship—and, of course, with something of a happy ending.

Heads Will Roll is available from Amazon and Audible.

Will you be checking out Heads Will Roll? Or have you already? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Heads Will Roll is an Audible Original from Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon and her cocreator/costar (and real-life sister) Emily Lynne. Produced by Broadway Video, this is not an audiobook – it’s a 10-episode, star-studded audio comedy that features performances from Meryl Streep, Tim Gunn, Peter Dinklage, Queer Eye‘s Fab Five, and so many more.

Queen Mortuana of the Night Realm (McKinnon) and her ditsy raven minion JoJo (Lynne) receive a prophecy about a peasant uprising. Together, they must journey to find the “Shard of Acquiescence”, which will put down the rebellion and save the throne. Will their friendship survive sensitive generals, chatty sex slaves, whiny behemoths, princes with bird fetishes, and the notion of democracy?

This raunchy satire also includes the wicked talents of Andrea Martin, Carol Kane, Audra McDonald, Aidy Bryant, Alex Moffat, Heidi Gardner, Chris Redd, Steve Higgins, Bob the Drag Queen, Esther Perel, and more. So, hold on to your head, and let the bad times roll.

Please note: This content is not for kids. It is for mature audiences only. This audio comedy features sexual content, adult language and themes, and violence against peasants and hobgoblins alike. Discretion is advised.

The post Review: Heads Will Roll by Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Welcome true believers, this is Stan Lee. We’re about to embark the exploration of a fantastic new universe and the best part is that you are gonna create it with me…

I never thought I would hear his voice again expect from some videos on YouTube, but here he is, sharing his brilliant mind with his audience for the last time: The Man. The Myth. The Legend. Mr. Stan Lee. You may cry, you’ll explore, and you’ll see yourself in some of it. You’ll try to imagine the scenes and take the gift of a beautiful message with you.

You may know me as a storyteller, but hey on this journey consider me your guide. I provide the witty and wonderful worlds and you create the sights, sounds, and adventures. All you need to take part is your brain. So take a listen and think big, no bigger, we make it an epic.

Created by Stan Lee, Luke Lieberman, and Ryan Silbert with it co-written by Kat Rosenfield, A Trick of Light is the first instalment in the Alliances series, which combines new heroes and their adventures in a fast-evolving world. It also focuses on what makes us unique and the need to be connected and to not feel alone. What makes this project even more special is that we cannot dive into the pages of a comic book and see the story unfold before our eyes, but instead, you are invited to create this world by yourself while listening to Yara Shahidi‘s (The Sun is also a Star, Grown-ish) voice.

Within the story, 17-year-old genius hacker, Nia, is the loneliest girl in the world. Her world consists of only two people, herself and her father. She spends her days in a hologram classroom to learn everything there is about the world she so desperately wants to experience for real. She is not permitted to get out and know anyone in person, but she is allowed to go online and have her own social media accounts. But this is not enough for her and she intends to free herself.

Then there’s “unmuscular nerd” Cameron who goes out on his boat to shoot a new video for his YouTube channel when a storm appears, and he is struck by lightning. This video will bring him the attention he was looking for at last. Finally, he will become famous. Waking up in hospital, he realises that he has changed and he is able to connect to every electronic device. He is overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of information, and it seems he has become cyberkinetic. With technology ever evolving, Cameron also puts his new abilities to use and creates VR contact lenses and AR goggles.

Cameron must now accept what he has gained and soon he meets Nia in an online game. They quickly become friends and have the idea to create their own space in the internet where they are safe from everyone who monitors online activities. At some point, they cross paths with OPTIC who wants their skill set for their own evil plans. However, no one is aware of the mysterious galactic threat which is on its way to earth to destroy humankind.

Together and with the help of Cameron’s best friend, Juaquo, and Nia’s father, they have to have the power to master even the most impossible situations.

…Remember when I created characters like the Fantastic Four and the X-Men? We were fascinated by science and awed by the mysteries of the great beyond…

Cameron, Nia, and Juaquo all had at least one person in their lives which they loved, but they still felt alone. For them, and many of us here in reality, the internet provides connections and the ability to meet others so A Trick of Light really explores this evolving way of connecting with people. For Nia, the digital world is everything she has. She calls strangers friends even though she probably will never meet and still, she is grateful that she has them. However, as much as the internet connects us, it can also divide us with many spending the day in their own bubble checking social media and not spending time in the real world.

…Today we consider a nearer deeper unknown one inside ourselves. […] we asked: What is more real? A world that we are born into or the one we create ourselves…

As the story progresses, Nia discovers that most of her life was a lie and she does not know who or what she is anymore, while Cameron discovers how Nia was involved in his freak accident that caused his powers. Juaquo on the other hand has to ask himself if he still wants to hold on to his past, or slowly let go of it and star truly living. These three characters really embody how many young people, and really people of any age, can feel lost or out of touch at some point in their lives. It shows that no matter what they are facing, they all want to feel accepted as the individuals they are. You have to believe in yourself and find that confidence. The trio also find themselves in a battle against a cosmic evil power and they have to find their true power within themselves. They have to realise that they do not need to stay on the path they happened to be on just because someone or something has put them there.

Online or offline, we are the masters of our fate!

…As we begin this story, we find humanity lost within is own techno bubble. With each citizen the star of their own digital fantasy. […] But the real conundrum is, just because we have the ability to recreated ourselves, should we? […] Excelsior!

For the last time, Stan Lee has not only has given us a new adventure which takes place in our modern world, but he also shares with us his wisdom and gives us a last powerful message. We are all seeking acceptance. We want to be a part of something and know that we are loved and give that love back. We want to connect. We need to connect! We are stronger together and both respect and love are stronger than hate. Thanks to creation of the internet, we have the possibility to reach out and do far more than we can imagine, if we chose to use it wisely.

You will not find a stereotypical superhero in this story. You will find a group of young adults who use the technology around them to conquer loneliness and even an unknown galactic power. In a way, it’s almost a metaphor as there’s times where it feel like we will never be able to conquer something, but in fact only need to look inside ourselves and around us because the answer could be right in front of you. Without giving too much away, Nia’s journey is the one that shows the path which we all have to take at some point.

Although it’s a new original story and a new story universe, there are some hints that Nia, Cameron, and Juaquo’s adventure is taking place in the same universe as previous stories in which we get to know Thor or S.H.I.E.L.D. As the book ends, we know that the cosmic threat will take a bigger part in the upcoming books and that three people fighting it will not be enough. They need to build an army!

A Trick of Light is now available from Audible! There’s also some good news for those of you, who are not fans of audiobooks as A Trick of Light will be available in print this September!

Thank you to Audible for providing The Nerd Daily with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Will you be checking out A Trick of Light? Have you already? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Review: ‘Stan Lee’s Alliances: A Trick of Light’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.