Taylor Anderson

Comments

1. 
   On May 14, 2009 Eben Bradstreet says:

   DARWIN

   The Wolly Titan

   Ranging across the northern half of the Asian continent, the wolly titan is easily one of the largest land animals in the world (and also, probably, one of the dumbest). Descended from the sauropods of old, the wolly titan gains its name from its thick coat of gray downy feathers, which it evolved to help it survive in the frigged northern weather. Like others of its kind, it has a long, whip-like tail, but its neck is only half the length one might expect, supporting a wide-flat head.

   The animal spends much of its time grazing on the grasses that blanket its environment. When snow is on the ground it uses its shovel-like head to great effect: digging up great mouthfuls of food through the frozen layers.

   Wolly Titans travel in small herds, and have no natural predators.

2. 
   On May 17, 2009 Taylor says:

   Eben,

   This ALMOST falls into the category of “let’s don’t talk about it here,” but actually, it almost stands to reason. “Brontasarries” exist, which implies larger, similar animals on larger land masses. . . And they would have evolved to suit their climate. Your “shovel head” idea is pretty cool. Good to hear from you!

   Taylor

3. 
   On May 19, 2009 Eben Bradstreet says:

   You’ll have to elaborate on the “let’s don’t talk about it here” statement. I’m not sure what that means/implies? Was there something I missed in the rules?

   If it’s something spoiler-related, feel free to email me.

4. 
   On May 19, 2009 Taylor says:

   Nah. I’ve just been thinking about some beasties along similar lines. Nothing “in the can.” If I do use similar beasties, I’ll be happy to share the inspiration. Like I said–almost stands to reason! As I’ve said before, the possibilities for fauna (or flora) are virtually unlimited given the hostile seas and the relative difficulties for species disemination. The “Wooly Titan” is duly entered into the fray!

   Taylor

5. 
   On May 23, 2009 Eben Bradstreet says:

   Great minds think alike! It’s kind of eerie, actually, because before I read the third book, I had considered submitting a subspecies of Grik that was more peaceful than the standard variety.

   You c …
   Great minds think alike! It’s kind of eerie, actually, because before I read the third book, I had considered submitting a subspecies of Grik that was more peaceful than the standard variety.

   You can imagine my surprise when I dug through Maelstrom!

   At this point, I’m hesitant to submit any other ideas, for fear of ruining the next book for myself!

   (apologies to any that might have been spoiled by this post)

6. 
   On May 26, 2009 History Buff says:

   By far one of the best series I’ve read and hard to pull awat from once you start reading. The detail, description, and emotion makes it feel as if you are there. I definitely look forward to the next installment in the series.

7. 
   On June 17, 2009 Aaron Wehr says:

   My idea of “Crab Tanks” is based on the giant coconut crab that is found in the Indian Ocean and Phillipenes, the exact place where your books take place. That is an amazing coencodence, so I am glad that that worked out.

   A situation in the discovery of said crab, is that when a group is sent to the island to retreive the sub, they see this enormous crab on it, near it, how ever you want it really. The giant coconut crab has nick names being the robber crab or palm theif because they tend to steal shiny things from people’s yards. The sub could be shiny, attracting it. The crab is unique as to the fact that it has a sence of smell. This could allow the easy capture of the crab if the destroyermen could find a way to make an anithstethia, like on king kong, only a little toned down. They could then use the crab as a tank because of its enormous size and strenth, and the fact that it has its own armour. (not that a little steal from the wrecked Amagi or Mahan would’nt help). They could also mount cannon on them, if they are big enough or a smaller mortar type thing if that sounds interesting.

   The crab has its size because it likes to use the ‘hairs’ on coconuts as its nesting material. they are able to wrap up around a coconut and crush it almost effortlessly. A darwinist reason to the growth of the crab over the 65 million years could be that the trees that were larger were creating their seeds higher up and further up and larger, as to be the ‘fittest’. But the larger crabs could survive because they could still harvest these large coconuts. This could theoretically throw the two organisms into a spiraling conundrum, where the trees keep growing and the crabs keep growing to compensate.

   The crabs wouldn’t be especially hard to feed either because they are omnivores. They eat coconuts, fruit, and dead animals. The dead animals wouldn’t be hard to supply, because of the abundance of dead grik at Baalkapan. They could also find fruit in the jungle ect.

   (please excuse my spelling)

8. 
   On June 17, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

   Good idea, Aaron. I’m doing a series about the Connecticut class battleships.
   The pre-dreadnoughts that were scrapped under the Washington Naval Treaty
   on our timeline. However, I’m debating whether to have the tarsier, a prosimian
   found in the Philippines and Indonesia, or Australopithecus, one of our early
   pre-human ancestors, which lived three million years ago. Right now, the
   villain is either spinosaurus, an African dinosaur, or Megalania, a giant monitor
   lizard, indigenous to Australia.

9. 
   On June 20, 2009 Art Forward says:

   Hi Taylor. I am a 23 year veteran “Destroyerman” in Canada’s navy, currently serving aboard HMCS ATHABASKAN. I have just finished “Into the Storm” and enjoyed it thoroughly. The interaction of the crew aboard USS WALKER seemed spot on to me. Only a couple of small things struck me as out of place, and that is likely the differences in time and space between my navy and that of the characters. The chase in the early chapters of the book literally had me holding my breath! Brilliant stuff that! I’ll be picking up the next book shortly. Thanks for the entertainment!

   Art Forward

10. 
    On June 25, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    Art, I had an uncle who was a destroyerman. He served on a destroyer in the
    ’50s, and escorted Queen Elizabeth II through the St. Lawrence Seaway. He was
    the gunnery officer. Taylor’s done a good job so far.

11. 
    On June 27, 2009 Art Forward says:

    Hi Blair:
    I agree, he’s done a great job of creating a distinct atmosphere.
    QE impinged into my life today as the Canadian Navy was presented with a new Queen’s Colour by her Canadian representative, the Governor General. I spent the day on parade at the Garrison Grounds in Halifax NS.
    I’m enjoying the second Destroyermen book, I’ve just weathered the Strakka!

12. 
    On June 29, 2009 krishnakanth says:

    hi, i am a big fan of the series , really happy that they are going to continue, hope you come to India some day for book signing.

13. 
    On July 06, 2009 cliff says:

    what is the date (in there time line ie june 1942?) can you tell use what year the new book will be.. just kinding. i’m realy looking forward to book 4.

14. 
    On July 06, 2009 Taylor says:

    Hello Art! Glad you’re enjoying the series! Your navy had a few four-stackers too! It’s always great to hear from destroyermen from any navy! Thanks for your service to your country and your friendship with ours!

    Taylor

15. 
    On July 06, 2009 Taylor says:

    I’m very glad you like it. Having never been, I’d dearly love to visit India some day. Maybe!!! I’m considering a trip to Australia next summer for the WorlCon to be held there.

    Taylor

16. 
    On July 06, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    Art, I just finished the first book. I heard that the second book’s coming out in paperback in November. I’ll probably get it then. Chuck, the pilot who was rescued in at the beginning of the first book, was redshirted in a sword fight
    with the Grik.

17. 
    On July 07, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    I’ve never been to Australia either. I’d love to go some time.

18. 
    On July 26, 2009 Eben Bradstreet says:

    Excellent! Everything is going according to plan… MUHAHA… ehm.

    Thanks for the award, and I’m REALLY looking forward to Distant Thunders. Any rough estimates on when we can expect to see it on the shelves?

19. 
    On July 27, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    You’re welcome. I’ve only read Into The Storm. Good book. I heard that Crusade
    will be out in paperback in November. Can’t wait to read it.

20. 
    On July 28, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    The armored fish of the Devonian, Dunklosteus, and Materpicis, were huge by
    today’s standards Dunkleosteus was the size, and weight, of a school bus.

21. 
    On July 28, 2009 Brian Reddeman says:

    I agree. I’ve seen a full scale Dunk at a museum–they’re on of my favorite marine animals next to Eurypterids and the Cambrian period Anomalocaris.

22. 
    On July 28, 2009 Brian Reddeman says:

    Flasher Fish Comment:

    The flasher fish in the series seem a little too prolific and too voracious in the story almost to the point that it would seem that nothing could possible live in the ocean. I like the meaning behind them–that the ocean is scary dangerous place and they’re pretty useful way of disposing carnage. The fact they exist, the should supplant all predators in the water, sharks for that matter should be exinct.

    Plot twist comments:
    Awesome plot twists, I won’t spoil anything for other readers but I love your use that not everything that is planned works out. The villians are wonderful. I can’t wait to see what happens in your fourth book!

23. 
    On July 28, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    Ever hear of fish called Materpicis and Dunkleosreus? They were around in the
    Devonian. Materpicis was found near Australia and Dunkleosteus was found in
    the Atlantic at that time. Dunkleosteus and Materpicis were armored fish. Dunkleosteus, according to the Animal Planet series Animal Armageddon, weighed over a ton and was the size of a school bus. Could you imagine the
    crew of the Walker coming against fish like those? Then there’s the Alligator
    Gar, which can reach up to ten feet in length. They’re also armored fish and
    don’t forget about the fish of the Amazon. Some of them are downright scary.

24. 
    On July 28, 2009 Brian Reddeman says:

    Dunkeosteus and Materpiscis were Placoderms from the Devonian period and went completly extinct during the Devonian extinction event. I wouldn’t be so worried about a Materpiscis as it was considered to eat shellfish but wandering into a Dunkeosteus would be a fascinating and terrifying event. However the seas of the Cretacious had some really nasty beasts like the bony fish Xiphactinus, the giant squids Tusoteuthis longa and Niobrarateuthis walkeri not to mention the reptiles that existed in the seas.

    My point is not that the oceans were certainly an interesting place to see if we could but certainly not a place were you’d get evicerated the second you stuck your toe in the water. I’d think the ocean would be just flasher fish at that point.

25. 
    On July 28, 2009 Taylor says:

    Hey Brian. Thanks for the nice words about plot twists. I wrote the story about people–of different sorts–and people screw up. Even Matt screws up. As to the flashies, they are a device of sorts, but they are not necessarily universal–as you will see. They’ve done pretty well in the relatively shallow seas within the Malay barrier but what of other places? I’ve dropped a few hints already. Of course, even Piranha coexist with other species. Take care and thanks for the note!

    Taylor

26. 
    On July 29, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    I see. I was just saying that the armored fish of the Devonian could be very fierce and the same is true of the other fish I mentioned.

27. 
    On July 29, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    Now could you imagine the crew of the Walker trying to deal with those? According to Animal Planet’s Animal Armageddon, they had an extremely bad
    attitude.

28. 
    On August 27, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    I know. Dunkelosteus could probably have eaten the Walker. Last night, on Monster Quest, the first show was about a giant octopus that supposedly washed up on a beach in Florida back in 1896. Since then, there’s been some
    controversy as to what it actually is. Some people believe that it’s a giant octopus. The majority opinion, since 1896, has been that it’s whale blubber.

    Megalodon, a giant shark from the Cretaceous and later, is only known through its teeth. It may, or may not, be extinct. That shark actually ate whales.

29. 
    On October 11, 2009 Blair Colquhoun says:

    Ok

30. 
    On October 16, 2009 eric harbord says:

    just wanted to pipe up and say hey.
    just reread the trilogy which is why i bought them in hardcover.paperbacks dont hold up to alot of rereads.

    EAGERLY awaiting the next 3 from you 2010 is going to be a nice year as far as my”readingtainment”is concerned.

    cant wait to pictue”walker II”

    and if a screen play was bought to life id not wait for the dvd lol id get to the theater on release day.

31. 
    On December 17, 2009 joe b says:

    eric is right this book would make a movie on par with lord of the rings…but they would probaly toatly destroy(no pun intended) it a big fan egarly awating book 4

32. 
    On January 20, 2010 Liam says:

    Really looking forward to the next book. I hope you drop a couple hints or tidbits to make the agony of waiting just a little more bearable.

33. 
    On January 27, 2010 John R. Schmuke says:

    Finally recieved #3, at page 69 now. Wonder what the kelp beds are kile in that world.