The Orbital Review
The Orbital Review is a literary journal under Orbital Press that delves into a wide range of topics. Featuring insightful book reviews by D.J. Hoskins, the journal also includes chess analyses, personal essays, reflective pieces, and poems, offering readers a thoughtful blend of literary critique and creative exploration.
Essays
Book Reviews
Poetry
Chess
Short Stories
Book Samples
Photography
Videos
Love is…
Love is that little thing
that people say
when they wish to use you,
and then abuse you.
Bastion - Chapter 2
Trillions of hypertransistors crowded Amma's skull. Buzzing in an array of atomic circuitry, they illuminated the translucent casing. Revealing a dome of grayish blue light from a distance.
Why Writing A Book Is Like Going To The Gym
Everyone knows that the hardest part about working out, is arriving at the gym. Honesty, the same is true of writing a book. The hardest part isn’t getting past the blank page, but simply sitting at the keyboard.
A Few Words About Passion
Passion is term used by beginners in a field. At first they’re super excited to learn, try out new ideas, and explore a subject outside their expertise. The truth is that over time, passion erodes like rocks in a stream. It’s slow and gradual, not something that happens all at once.
Thinkers vs. Leaders vs. Strategists
A thinker is one who introspects, reviews, and contemplates the follies and successes of their own experiences. A leader is one who takes charge and makes decisions with the information made available to him at the present moment. A strategist evaluates present circumstances and extrapolates the effectiveness of their ideas into the future.
How Chess Evolves Into Paranoia
Slowly but surely, it's taking over. There's no doubt about it.
The longer I play, the more illusions I see. It starts with the little things. You wonder if you locked the door, shut the blinds, left the light on.
What It’s Like To Write A Chess Book
The first book I ever wrote about chess was called, "20 King Pawn Endgames Explained." Originally my idea was to write this book in order to improve my play, since I knew relatively little about these types of endgames. At the time I was living in Guam, as I was sent there for an exercise with the Air Force.
Russian Invasion
To the clear skies with wide eyes, I used to stare. The nights used to be quiet, silent upon the hilltops. Little birds with muted words, clung to air. High above, they could feel it, could see it. The truth, the coming carnage of which we'd been warned on the news.
Artists & Arrogance: The Importance Of Developing A Strong Ego
The human ego is a sword and shield. It is the protector of the psyche, and thus must be built to defend an individual's self-esteem. Without the fortress of ego, a person's concept of self can be easily made to shatter against the ridicule of others.
The Cold Nature Of Chess
When I play, there is no sound.
The world becomes absent, silent, still. A shadow in the night, a cool breeze in the dead of winter.
At least… I wish it were this way.
Active Degeneration
In the mirror, only I exist. Bone covered by muscle, and muscle covered by skin. Yet beneath it all, resides a slow process. The dying of cells, the fracturing of DNA… the steady record, of my decay.
Bastion - Chapter 1
Activating, hollow eyes lit blue; dimming intermittently before continuing to flicker. Hesitating, Amma's core steadily awoke from its slumber. Warming up, processing units began to access files. Swapping memory, records blazed a trail of data through her mind.
Losing The Romance
The saddest part about mastery, is the loss of the romantic gleam.
While writing, I must admit that the spark is largely gone. This too has also become the case with chess. Although I am not a master at the game, I’ve become a strong player. As such, the romantic fantasies that I used to have for years, have finally cooled.
What Writing 5 Chess Books Has Taught Me
This is a Rook and Pawn endgame. It’s here to serve a short example of how complicated chess can become from a seemingly simple position.
There’s Something Medieval About A Cold Toilet Seat
It says not a word, but sits unperturbed.
Hard as a rock, it rests in a relaxed position. In the early mornings, it cools. Waiting patiently for some poor soul to take a seat. Slide out their feet, in an attempt to get comfortable.
Books As A Form Of Encryption
They hold all the secrets of the earth, these little manuscripts. Formulas and fictions, fantasies and fallibilities, books have seen it all.
Humility Of The Chess Computer
Every move and every line… is incorrect. For everything I see, is a mere shadow of the truth. A falsification, an aberration, an illusion.
Of what to make of myself? Am I to ever become more than a fraud? A dreamer? A charlatan?
Why I Like Computers
Computers are cold and indifferent. A totality of silicone, transistors, wires, and chips. Powered by electricity, they hold no prejudice. No judgements to speak of. They don’t know that I’m human, can’t see my face; can’t peer into my eyes.
The Importance Of Visualization And Disciplined Imagination In Writing Fiction
Writing isn’t a gift, but a skill. Something that must be practiced daily, or at least somewhat consistently over time. To be honest, I don’t write every day. Anyone who does is either a maniac or a liar.
Freeze Frame Imagination
I can stare at a shoelace in my mind, tie it, and loose it again. I can move pieces over the chess board, before swiftly forgetting where they were. I can climb a mountain, throw down stones, and freeze them midair with such precision, that I often can’t tell whether or not I’m actually there.