Why Are Our Heroes Getting Darker?
Tegan Beechey
I know this is a terrible request in my first article, but I am going to ask you to close your eyes. Go ahead! After putting in a few hours…
Articles
Drakenfeld by Mark Charan Newton: Chapter One Extract
Overlord
Today I’m pretty damned excited because Tor Books have been in touch and given me permission to host an extract for one of the best books I’ve read in the…
Being A Reader: The Magic of Books
Leo Elijah Cristea
Books. To some of us they’re a gentle pastime, something to read on the beach or on the daily commute; a lunch break companion or a ritual before bedtime, a…
Ten Fantasy Clichés That Should Be Put To Rest
Eric Christensen
Anyone who follows celebrity gossip knows there is a downside to fame. Addictions, bankruptcy, and sex scandals threaten to tarnish a star’s image. Perhaps the biggest downside of fame is…
The Chaotic Champion – Part Nine: Order and Chaos
Nyki Blatchley
I’ve spent most of this series discussing how the figure of the Chaotic Champion works in story. My contention is that he’s* a universal concept in human story, whether the…
Talking About Books: Online Book Clubs, Forums, and Real Life
Lisa Taylor
So, for those of you that know me from the forum, you won’t be surprised to hear that I am a fan (addict) of online book clubs. Just to give…
Fantastical Creatures of Greco-Roman Mythology: The Telkhines
Faith M. Boughan
In this, the eighth instalment of the series on lesser known creatures and monsters of Classical myth, I want to take you far, far away from where we were last…
The World of SFF Podcasts
Victoria Hooper
There are so many fantastic resources today for discussing the genres we love, finding out about upcoming books, reading interviews with new and established authors, and getting advice on writing…
Red Seas Under Red Skies – Read Along – Part 1
Welcome to the first week of our Red Seas Under Red Skies Read-Along. What a week it was too! I honestly can’t think of many books which start as excitingly…
Urban Fantasy versus Paranormal Romance
Marsha A. Moore
These two extremely popular sub genres are so often confused and debated, I thought a closer examination would be useful and interesting. Similarities Both are types of speculative fiction, involving…
Foundations of Fantasy: The Odyssey
Ryan Howse
More than any other genre, fantasy tends to examine ancient epics. Whether it’s the study of archetypes and ectypes, a historical understanding of narrative itself, or simply a desire to…
Writers Love Readers
Rowena Cory Daniells
Where would we be without them? After all, writers are just readers who ran out of books to read. But seriously, do authors write because we always loved reading, or…