New Models for Magicians
Eric Christensen
In many fantasy stories, magicians often follow one or two traditional models. Many are often portrayed as guides or teachers that assist the protagonist. Often this mentor is described as…
Eric Christensen
Diverse Fantasy Is Better Fantasy
I recently I submitted a story to my writing group for critique. It was a secondary-world fantasy set in a pre-industrial port city. Of all the comments I received, the…
Split Worlds Series by Emma Newman – Review of the First Three Books
Spoiler Warning! I’m reviewing the first three books of the Split Worlds series. Consequently, when describing the plot of book three, it’s darn near impossible not to say things that…
Emma Newman Interview: The Split Worlds Series, Writing, Tea, and More
On the eve of her February 23 re-release of her Split Worlds series, I caught up with author, narrator, and host of the Tea and Jeopardy podcast, Emma Newman to…
This Census-Taker by China Miéville
Before you start reading China Miéville’s new novella, This Census-Taker, you should ask yourself how you feel about movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, The Thing, Total…
Fantastic and Forgotten Christmas Stories
The holidays are always a time for stories of magic and miracles. Whether the stories are told at a place of worship, at home in front of the fireplace, or…
Luke Skywalker Can’t Read and Other Geeky Truths by Ryan Britt
I think it is fair to say that nerds tend to be obsessive completists who love to study things at a very granular level. And one of our favorite things…
The Shards of Heaven by Michael Livingston
The Shards of Heaven is the debut novel of professor and Writers of the Future winner Michael Livingston. It’s a historical adventure fantasy that asks how heirs to Julius Caesar—already…
Empire Ascendant by Kameron Hurley
Last year, in my review of Kameron Hurley’s THE MIRROR EMPIRE, I called that book different, difficult, wildly inventive, risky, and provocative. EMPIRE ASCENDANT levels up on all counts. In…
2015 Hugo Awards: No Dogs Allowed?
On Saturday night, the winners of the 2015 Hugo Awards (and the not-a-Hugo John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer) were announced as part of the 73rd World Science…
A Crown For Cold Silver by Alex Marshall
A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER hits a lot of notes that fans of epic fantasy will recognize and appreciate: generals fighting one last war using a mercenary army; a colorful…
The Skull Throne by Peter V. Brett
WARNING: REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE DEMON CYCLE AND SOME MINOR SPOILERS FOR THE SKULL THRONE. THE SKULL THRONE picks up immediately after THE DAYLIGHT WAR…