Shadowborn by Moira Katson
Jeff Seymour
I was an ice child, having the ill luck to be born early, in the deepest storms of the winter, when the drifts of snow can bury whole caravans without…
The Emperor’s Edge by Lindsay Buroker
CptNemo
Amaranthe Lokdon is one of the Turgonian Empire’s enforcers. She keeps the streets safe (much like a policewoman) and is known for being fastidious. She chews her fingernails when she’s…
Magic In Fantasy: Alternative Magic Systems
Leo Elijah Cristea
This is the forth article in our series on Magic in Fantasy. To read the earlier articles click the links below. Part One: Introduction Part Two: Real Magic Part Three:…
What Makes This Book So Great? by Jo Walton
Eric Christensen
I want to begin my review of What Makes This Book So Great? where Jo Walton ends the book: comparing literary criticism and talking about books. Walton doesn’t like being…
Fantasy Book Club – May 2014: Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough
Lisa Taylor
For May, our members voted to read Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough. I’ve seen some great reviews for this one, including on here on Fantasy-Faction where it earned a 10 star…
The Collapse of the Star Wars Expanded Universe
Zachary A. Matzo
“I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further.” Darth Vader to Lando in The Empire Strikes Back or Kathleen Kennedy, in a recent press release scuttling…
Pokémon – What Kind of Journey Is This?
Nathan T. Dean
Twitch Plays Pokémon changed a lot of things for a lot of people. Mostly it changed the website imgur into a paradise of pseudo-religious iconography for a Bird Jesus and…
Keeping Characters Realistic In A Fantasy Setting
Aaron Miles
The fantasy genre is about the imagination, so it might seem strange to talk about realism in your work, but hear me out. Your characters are what sell your story,…
David Gemmell Legend Awards Shortlist & Lunchtime Thoughts
Overlord
It’s my lunch break and I’m sat here looking over the David Gemmell Legend Award shortlist. It’s truly great to see that in just a few years of the Gemmell’s…
Brandon Sanderson’s ‘Firefight’ Cover, Blurb & Release Date Revealed!
Fantasy-Faction really enjoyed Brandon Sanderson’s super-villain epic, Steelheart. In addition to Sanderson’s fantastic worldbuilding and cinematic writing, the story of average citizens rising up and administering justice as they see…
Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen
A. E. Marling
If you want a fantasy where two teens in an arranged marriage struggle to love each other, then read Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen. First Cecile is kidnapped. Then…
Creating Shanghai Sparrow: Guest Post by Gaie Sebold
Gaie Sebold
The germination of a novel is a peculiar process. It seemed particularly so, for me, in the case of Shanghai Sparrow. When I first considered the possibility of a steampunk…