CrossTown
GENRE
SCI-FI FANTASY
Core Theme
MORALITY, TRUTH, DESTINY
TIME PERIOD
Across Centuries
COMPARABLE TITLES
GOOD OMENS, AMERICAN GODS, LORD OF THE RINGS
CHARACTER LIST
ZETHUS (M) - LEAD. PROTAGONIST; A BRAVE, SKILLED, AND INTELLIGENT SORCERER-FOR-HIRE.
ANTHONY VAYNE (M) - SUPPORTING. MENTOR/ALLY TURNED ANTAGONIST; A FORMIDABLE, NOBLE, AND STOIC KNIGHT FIGURE.
BLADE/THE WHITE WOLF/BRIGHT ANGEL (M,M,F) - SUPPORTING. ALLIES; VARIOUS ENTITIES CONFINED TO ZETHUS' LEGION OF ENSLAVED SPIRITS.
TITANIA (F) -- SUPPORTING. ANTAGONIST; CHARMING, SEXY, CONNIVING WOMAN WHO HIRES ZETHUS WITH AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE.
ELIZA DRAKE (F) -- SUPPORTING. ALLY; A SEDUCTIVE, AMICABLE VAMPIRE WOMAN AND FRIEND OF ZETHUS.
VINCENT VAN GOGH (M) -- SUPPORTING. ALLY; THE FAMOUS ARTIST HIMSELF WHO HIRES ZETHUS TO EVICT A DEMONIC ENTITY FROM HIS HOUSE.
Logline
Zethus is a sorcerer who makes his living in CrossTown, a place where the many worlds hypothesis of modern physics is manifest. Hunted by mysterious forces that killed his old master, the answers he needs to survive threaten to upend the nature of reality itself.
Target Audiences
Age: 18-34,35-54
Target Gender: Universal
Setting
CrossTown, alternate overlapping possibilities
Based on a True Story
No
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: with a Publisher
Publisher: Red Hen Press, Xeno Imprint
Year Published: 2017
Starting Description
Caught up in a web of intrigue as he investigates the death of his master, and pursued by agents that want to erase all knowledge of Corvinus’ work, Zethus discovers that the key to his master’s murder lies in his last project and in the roots of CrossTown's fractured reality.
Ending Description
Zethus confronts the powers who pushed him into discovering the thing they thought to keep hidden, and nearly loses his humanity in the process. He also confronts the uncomfortable root of his power, the spirits he has enslaved and to whom he owes his survival.
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
Yes
ISBN
1939096022
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Plot - Other Elements
Philosophical Questions,Meaningful Message
Plot - Premise
Internal Journey/Rebirth,Overcoming Monster/Villain
Main Character Details
Name: Zethus
Age: Over a Century (Subjective)
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Masculine,Adventurous,Confident,Decisive,Leader
Additional Character Details
Name: The White Wolf, Blade, etc. Leaders of Zethus' Legion
Age: Varies, more than centuries
Gender: Other
Role: Sidekick
Key Traits: Underdog,Aspiring,Badass,Sophisticated,Strong Moral Code,Secretive,Outspoken,Honorable,Engaging,Sarcastic
Additional Character Details
Name: Anthony Vayne
Age: Ancient
Gender: Male
Role: mentor
Key Traits: Secretive,Sophisticated,Strong Moral Code,Lone Wolf,Leader,Honorable,Badass,Confident,Decisive,Masculine
Additional Character Details
Name: Titania
Age: Ancient
Gender: Female
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Badass,Charming,Sexy,Confident,Decisive,Secretive
Genre
ACTION, SUSPENSE, THRILLER, FANTASY
Brief
ZEPHUS is a sorcerer-for-hire in CrossTown, a kind of crossroads in space time. After his beloved master is murdered, Zephus sets out to find his master's killers with the help of a Legion of demons he has enslaved within himself. After many encounters with an array of creatures and self-serving men, Zephus discovers that his master was killed for researching an extinct race of giants called Nephilim. In the end, the perpetrator is revealed to be none other than one of Zephus's closest allies, a man revealed to be the last living Nephilim. Not long after, worn down and stripped of his power, Zephus fades into a bright, ethereal realm, where he prepares to live a new life.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: FAIR
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: GOOD
Pace: FAIR
Premise: GOOD
Structure: FAIR
Theme: FAIR
Accuracy of Book Profile
Yes, it seems to be a perfectly sound reflection of the book. The author has some valid ideas about avenues to adaptation, too.
Draw of Story
What drew me into the story immediately was how vivid the world of CrossTown is and how inspired many of its conceits seem to be. The author displays utter confidence in the concept and the rendering of the world of his story. Borrowing from both Tolkien and, perhaps more so, Gaiman, the author imbues this work both with a strong tonal identity as well as a rich, individual vivid identity. It promises to be a visual effect feast, and there seem to be many areas where this vision can only be fully realized on the big screen.
Possible Drawbacks
There was one thing that made me want to put the book down, and that was the simple notion that this work is sometimes difficult to follow. There is a sense that this work moves too fast for the audience to keep up. There are countless locations, characters, and ideas within CrossTown that feel starved of the necessary explanation, guidance, and breathing room. Sometimes it feels like we are left behind. Sometimes we need proper clarity in order to most fully invest. All in all, it would behoove the author throughout to slow down and to properly introduce and explain his characters and ideas. That would make for the most palatable and productive reading experience.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES HEAVILY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is that this work takes some of the best elements from the beloved works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Neil Gaiman and interpolates them into a world that still feels fresh and inventive. Fans of the fantasy genre will be enthralled thanks to the simple fact that there are no holds barred in this work with the wide array of creatures and fantasy genre staples. It's also quite scary-- Some of the imagery and conflicts veer well into horror territory, which only elevates the stakes in this work.
Fanbase Potential
This could have a large fanbase. It follows in the footsteps of much beloved and acclaimed works after all, and the marketplace seems to be hungry to vast, colorful, fantasy visions such as this, especially in the wake of Game of Thrones, Good Omens, and the lot.
Awards Potential
This work does not seem likely to rise to the tier of The Lord of the Rings and what not. It is not that kind of effects trail-blazer, its scale is more restrained, and it lacks as strong of a thematic and emotional resonance. Instead, this work, if adapted, seems destined to have a loyal audience with moderate acclaim. The kind of audience that would campaign for it if it ever went off the air, likely after 2 or 3 seasons, as opposed to half-a-dozen.
Envisioned Budget
LARGE BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
GOOD OMENS, LORD OF THE RINGS, AMERICAN GODS
What’s New About the Story
This work is original in that it seems to represent a unique mash-up of sorts between the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Neil Gaiman. The author seems to embrace the best of both styles of fantasy and to push them each a bit further into horror territory as well. While the conceit and the setting are original, this work does seem to borrow much from genre tradition as far as the characters and archetypes are concerned. More could be done to differentiate the kind of roles the characters fulfill in the story-- They seem much more familiar that the often profound and unique arena in which they play, after all.
Lead Characters
Zethus stands out for his unique existence in the world of CrossTown. For one reason, Zethus is a mere mortal kept alive by sheer sorcery. This makes him highly vulnerable compared to the many other immortal or supernatural beings he comes across, and it serves the story well in giving Zethus' journey stakes. Also, Zethus stands out for the fact that he contains a Legion of demons within himself-- Enslaved and waiting for any command. It's a lot for one character to carry, and it adds welcome complexity to our protagonist.
Uniqueness of Story
This is not quite a rare gem. Although it has many virtues in the form of its visual intrigue and its homages to beloved past works, this work is ultimately quite challenging to read and difficult to follow. There is no doubt that all makes sense and that all adds up perfectly in the author's mind, but it is not quite being iterated well enough to the audience. Characters and locations need more description, foundation, and room to breathe. Right now, it is far too easy to get lost in the many foreign terms and relentless plot.
Possible Formats
Film: Studio, Streaming TV Series: Network, Cable, Limited Run / Mini-Series, Streaming
Analyst Recommendation
WORK IN PROGRESS
Justification
This is a work in progress due to the simple fact that it is quite difficult to follow. The author levels what feels like an endless barrage of faces, places, and things, and he often fails to properly introduce, describe, and orient the audience around them. This is all in spite of how novel and vivid much of the location and concept seems to be.
Tips for Improvement
As noted, this work is quite fast-moving and difficult to comprehend. A simple combing through to reconsider palatability and cleanliness of description would not just be welcome, but it would yield a world of difference.
Brief
Zethus is a sorcerer-for-hire in CrossTown, a realm at the crossroads of space time. When his master is killed--and with a slew of bounty hunters on his trail--Zethus must investigate the dark forces at play that threaten to upend CrossTown in entirety.
What We Liked
This work stood out--plain and simple--for its dazzling and confident visual identity. CrossTown is a place like no other explored on the screen before. Not only does it promise a visual feast, but it feels fresh and profound conceptually, too, strengthened by its clear influences that make up the amalgam that is CrossTown. Fans of the likes of Gaiman and Tolkien will be delighted by the challenging text that is CrossTown.
Film: This story is a promising candidate for adaptation to film for how expansive its world is and how distinct its visual identity is. Fans of Lord of the Rings, of Harry Potter, and of the works of Neil Gaiman will be sure to patronize this work thanks to its many mystical creatures and concepts. It's a true creature feature, and it contains no shortage of impact and catharsis that audiences seem to crave on the big screen. All in all, this is work contains a unique setting and a visuals-driven story with profoundly high stakes. This bodes well for transcription to the big screen.
TV: This would be a strong candidate for adaptation to television because of how well-built-out the world of its story is. There is a true sense that you could never see all of CrossTown, and that bodes well for a long-form program never feeling tired. There are endless conceits and characters that bode well for expanding this work to the longer format and especially with an eye toward several seasons. Moreover, with the inclusion of certain historical figures in the text, there is a real opportunity to feature guest stars akin to the inclusion of Van Gogh. And lastly, this story would lend itself quite well to a villain-of-the-week tradition.
Synopsis
ZETHUS is a sorcerer-for-hire living in the interdimensional realm of CrossTown, a kind of mystical crossroads in space time, essentially an intersection of Middle Earth, Transylvania, and techno-noir environments. CrossTown and its many sub-towns are populated by magic-empowered people and creatures, from vampires to demons and more. It's also home to a number of historical figures living outside of time. One example is VINCENT VAN GOGH, who hires Zethus to wield his magic in exorcising a demonic presence from a home. Zethus is a mortal who originated in ancient Greece. He's now lived many mortal lifetimes in CrossTown, and he contains a Legion of demons and spirits within himself that he uses as protection. Among them are begrudgingly loyal BLADE and the WHITE WOLF. Zethus faces down the demon and its makeshift corporeal form for his client Vincent.
After touching base with an old friend and mentor, the knight ANTHONY VAYNE, Zethus takes a meeting with the seductive and intimidating TITANIA, who hires him to track down a mysterious entity called "The Gold." Later, Zethus finds himself hunted by the WHITESNAKES, a gang of cultists seeking vengeance after Zethus slayed a leader of theirs. Zethus also discovers that his longtime mentor, CORVINUS, has been killed. He heads back to Vayne's stronghold as he ponders the sudden death. Zethus commits himself to getting to the bottom of his master's death. He pays a visit to the amicable vampiress ELIZA DRAKE and to THE WRAITH, an old friend of Corvinus, starting to ask questions and gather information over Corvinus' latest work. Zethus starts to suspect that he was hired by Titania as a diversion. The investigation puts Zethus on the path of the Nephilim, a race of ancient giants, now extinct, that Corvinus was apparently prying into. Zethus adopts the visage of an old man to ward off his hunters, and later, he creates a clone body to inhabit in order to keep his true body preserved. However, after an encounter with a bounty hunter named JACK DUNCAN, Zethus is left trapped in his dead, clone body. It's one thing after another for Zephus-- After escaping, he is soon confronted and overpowered by the Whitesnake cultists. He is held prisoner in a dungeon. Eventually, he comes to, siccing his Legion of demons on his captors and escaping with violent glee. However, in doing so, he is forced to release his Legion, leaving him truly vulnerable for perhaps the first time in centuries.
In his weakened state, Zethus desires not vengeance, but answers as to the Nephilim and as to his beloved master's demise. He stops back at Eliza Drake's domain, only to discover that she has been killed. Instead, he must battle another vampiric figure before continuing on his way. Finally, Zethus heads to confront Titania about her conspiring ways. However, it is none other than Anthony Vayne that has all the answers Zethus has been seeking-- Vayne himself is revealed to be the last of the Nephilim kind, and he confesses to having conspired with others to have Corvinus killed, all in the name of protecting his secret identity. Zethus reflects on the revelation and on his journey and time in CrossTown. Stripped entirely of his lifeblood power and resources, he slowly fades from life and consciousness and washes over into a new, spiritual, ethereal realm. In it, he is joined by a goddess-like spirit and he comes to terms with starting a new life in a new world.