A Gathering of Ravens by Scott Oden
Joshua Robertson
A Gathering of Ravens was my introduction to Scott Oden’s work, and after completing the mytho-historical story, I am now scouring his backlist for another appealing tale. The story is…
mythology
Wading in the Cultural Shallows: How Irish Mythology Became A Commodity for Fantasy
Brian O'Sullivan
One night at a party I was introduced to a woman who proudly informed told me she’d named her baby daughter ‘Banshee’ in celebration of her Irish heritage. Even at…
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Eric Christensen
Mythology is meant to be told and retold, down through the generations. Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman, is the latest telling. As Gaiman recently described it in an interview with…
Why Aliens Look Like Octopuses
Nicola Alter
Have you ever noticed that extra-terrestrials in most “aliens-make-contact” science fiction usually resemble octopuses, squids, or other cephalopods? At least, when they don’t just look like humans in Halloween masks…
Monthly Short Story Winner: Mighty Beasts
Xiagan
You know they’re out there. Lurking. Just out of your sight. Maybe immortal. Or so close that it doesn’t make a difference. Having survived for longer than human history exists.…
Paternus by Dyrk Ashton – SPFBO Review: And Then There Was One!
Geoff Matthews
The SPFBO team have completed their search for a finalist! Today, only one book remains, and that is Paternus by Dyrk Ashton! Congratulations Dyrk! You are moving on to round…
Vampires: Origins, Evolution, and Role in Fantasy Fiction
Leo Elijah Cristea
The vampire: a figure whose folklore origins date back as far as the cradle of civilisation, is one of the major mythic figures bequeathed to us by the English Romantics.…
Worldbuilding: Using The Creation Story To Help Design A Belief System
B. Pine
Is a faith system vital to any fantasy story? Definitely. Even in a fictional setting, people need a raison d’être and comforting explanations for the mysteries of life. Religion is…
Fantastical Creatures of Greco-Roman Mythology: The Colchian Dragon
Faith M. Boughan
This is the second instalment of a series in which we explore some of the lesser-known creatures and monsters found in Classical mythology, as many of these fantastical beings have…
Fantasy’s Tricksters
Trent Cannon
Fantasy loves a big, strong hero, almost as much as we love a big, scary villain. We love to see a good, old-fashioned epic showdown, preferably on top of a…
Faeries and Folklore – Part One: An Introduction
We’re going to talk about faeries. For the purposes of both my sanity and authenticity, leave any and all notions of Disney’s Tinker Bell at the door. Tinker Bell is…
Foundations of Fantasy: The Epic of Gilgamesh
Ryan Howse
More than any other genre, fantasy tends to examine ancient epics. Whether it’s the study of archetypes and ectypes, or a historical understanding of narrative itself, or simply a desire…