The Liminal People by Ayize Jama-Everett
Matt Maenpaa
The word limen in Latin means “a threshold”, and in modern context, the word liminal can be interpreted as a state between one or the other, often in reference to…
Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper
Alister Davison
It’s been reviewed here before, has been a book club read, but Songs of the Earth is a book I have to shout about. Here’s why. Years ago, I gave…
Genre Blending
Ryan Howse
It should surprise no one, given where I’m writing this from, that I am a fan of fantasy. But while it’s my favorite genre, it’s not my only love. I’m…
Judge A Book By Its Cover – An Interview with Larry Rostant
Mike Shackle
I never intended to buy The Painted Man by Peter V. Brett. I was walking through a bookshop intent on picking up something else, most probably a crime novel. I…
How Clichés Can Help You Create Great Characters
Marc Davies
“Avoid character clichés.” Like me, you’ve probably heard this advice many times. It comes in a number of guises, from make your characters unique and interesting, or try to create…
Maps And eReaders
Zachary A. Matzo
“I wisely started with a map.” – J.R.R. Tolkien. Clearly ebook publishers ascribe to a different way of thinking. Does Amazon.com hate fantasy readers? Does Barnes & Noble? Kobo? Apple?…
Writer’s Den: Inspiration’s Inspiration
Thomas A. Knight
I tried to figure out what to write about this month, but couldn’t find the inspiration. Usually something comes to me, but not this time. And then it came to…
Pirates: Fantasy’s Forgotten Scoundrels
Laura Graham
I’m going to start you off with a quiz this month. Nice and simple, five questions, just to see what you really know about pirates. 1. Apart from as a…
Layers of Reality
Max Edwards
As an English Undergraduate at a UK university, I often feel an obscene sense of guilt and embarrassment when asked what, specifically, I enjoy reading. When I respond with “science…
One King To Rule Them All
A. J. Zaethe
Founding Fathers Or Mothers Hope you have been practicing your John Hancocks, because you are about to become a founding father or mother. I am certain that most of you…
Trinity Rising by Elspeth Cooper
A year ago, I reviewed my first book for Fantasy-Faction. It was for Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper. It was one of my favorite books of 2011. Fast-paced…
Hybrid Fantasy
Eric Christensen
Once upon a time, fantasy stories had a relatively simple format. Typically, a hero fought a monster, and there was often some magic involved. This format goes as far back…