We’re Back!
Jennie Ivins
Hello Factioners! If you’re a regular you may have noticed a lack of updates in the past couple weeks. Well I am happy to say we’re back! Where were we?…
Reaching Outside the Genre
Aaron Miles
The fantasy genre is a curious beast, its wide reach covering a range of topics and themes. It has stories about growing up, stories about overcoming problems, stories about slaying…
The Reborn King by Michael Miller
JC Kang
I’m an impulsive book buyer, usually drawn to a shiny cover and 99c sales like my wife is to shoes and handbags. If my one-click finger itched any more, you…
The Problem with Abandoning the “Strong Female Character”
A. M. Justice
Yet another descriptor has been caught in the verboten term net. Recently, several essays have appeared arguing that people should stop using the term “strong female character” (SFC) or “strong…
Small Press, Big Stories: The Expo!
Steven Poore
Today on Small Press, Big Stories – an announcement! On Saturday 24th February, the Forbidden Planet London Megastore will be hosting a small press expo! Authors and editors from four…
Borne by Jeff VanderMeer
Eric Christensen
Looking at the list of genres above, it’s clear that I had difficulties categorizing Jeff VanderMeer’s Borne. But I suppose that is what the New Weird is all about. Although…
Monthly Short Stories Winner: Water
Xiagan
This month we asked for stories, where water of any kind was a key element. It didn’t matter if it was a stormy sea, a misty lake, a polluted river,…
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Jessica Juby
“God, it’s time for my dick present,” he laughed nervously. I asked him what he meant, as he handed me the wrapped Christmas present. “I’ve bought you my favourite book.”…
In Defence of a Zombie-Free Apocalypse – Part One: Vampires, Werewolves, and Ghosts
Richard Marpole
Zombies are awful. They look disgusting and they smell worse. Their eating habits are appalling. Their conversational skills leave a lot to be desired. People keep trying to explain them…
Death’s Mistress by Terry Goodkind
Pippa
Death’s Mistress is the first book in the Sister of Darkness: The Nicci Chronicles series. It is a new series following a character already established in Goodkind’s previous books, the…
Time Travel in Fantasy: More Common Than You’d Think
Nicola Alter
Many of us associate time travel with science fiction, picturing tinkering scientists, time machines, futuristic societies, wormholes, or space travel. This is in no small part due to the H.…
The Life of the World to Come by Kage Baker
Jo Niederhoff
We know about Mendoza. We know about Joseph. We even know a bit about Lewis, though not quite as much as the other two. (And that’s all right, fond though…