Browsing all articles by L. A. Young.
First, Become Ashes by K.M. Szpara
Trigger Warning for First, Become Ashes: This books (not this review) contains explicit sadomasochism and sexual content, as well as abuse and consent violations, including rape. An individual carries their beliefs throughout their life: religious, political, truth and reality. There comes a point within each individual when those beliefs become fixed notions, which become more […]
His Dark Materials: Season Two – TV Series Review
Over the years, fans of media adaptations of books had to learn to live with the possibility the sequels and/or the follow ups to TV shows and/or movies would never be made. The opposite of this would be when the sequels were made and released, and the audience was left feeling the same finesse was […]
The Memory of Souls by Jenn Lyons
Epic stories—especially epic fantasy (the term “saga” is used for science fiction)—are known for their long narration. Epic fantasy stories consist of a slew of characters, layered and complex plots and subplots, and A LOT of worldbuilding—which often includes family trees and timelines of historical events. In the midst of these factors is the recollection […]
The Name of All Things by Jenn Lyons
Many fantasy stories tend to focus on a set of characters within one central setting. Then, there are the stories that take place across generations and various locations. The former follows a story that can end within one book, and the latter can result with either a saga, or a series. Jenn Lyons does the […]
The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons
Stories are told as entertainment, and we all become familiar with certain tropes: the lost heir, the fulfillment of the prophecy, the quest for a mythical sword, etc. Nowadays, some of these stories twist readers’ expectations of these tropes to the point where one cannot predict what will happen next. Then, there are the stories […]
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
Dragons are one of the most familiar—and overused—tropes in fantasy. These mystical beings intrigue and fascinate all who have heard of them. However, since oral tradition, dragons were either an Eastern or a Western entity. This is strange because if most dragon species can fly, then why could they be found in just two regions […]
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
Inspiration and influence comes from anything from an ephemeral moment to a persistent belief; from one line in a song to a passage in a story to a scene from a movie. The Birth of a Nation remains as one of the most infamous films ever made. Praised for its cinematography and belittled for its […]
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
When an author has an impressive debut year—as in being nominated for and winning several literary awards: the Hugo, the Nebula, etc.—the question is can the author go further and beyond with their stories and their writings after a strong debut? The answer is, yes! And several authors have managed to do this with their […]
The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell
2020 continues to present books by debut authors, which continues the expansion of speculative fiction canon. Several works by new authors remind readers the genre is influenced by more than just fantasy and science fiction. Nick Martell’s debut—The Kingdom of Liars, the first book in The Legacy of the Mercenary Kings—is part epic fantasy and […]
The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
Speculative fiction is a term used when the common themes found in fantasy, science fiction and horror overlap while incorporating at least one of the many subgenres into the narrative. Add themes of race, sex, religion, family, and revenge, and you have a story that reflects any era in human history. The Year of the […]
Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
The 21st Century has seen a slew of diverse authors writing and releasing stories that have expanded the speculative fiction canon. Not only have these authors written stories for readers like them, but also presented a deeper look into issues—both past and present—that affect their represented groups. Themes of oppression, slavery, colonialism, poverty, and genocide […]
Recommendations for SFF Authors of Various Identities
Today’s society claims to be “woke” when it comes to the need for diversity, except we all know that isn’t true. The prejudice and bigotry presented on the news and in other media continues to reflect similar issues seen within the publishing industry. While movies and television have made visual strides to present more diverse […]
