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.…
mythology
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…
Mythology in Urban Fantasy
I’ve talked before about creating a mythology using fantasy, and I’ve delved a little into world mythology and folklore through various articles on dragons, demons, fae, and magic, but this…
The Immortals by Jordanna Max Brodsky
Joie
I will never look at Greek myths the same way again, and I’m not sure if I am happy about that or not. Greek mythology was my childhood introduction to…
Sun Wukong, AKA The Monkey King
Wei Ming Kam
It’s Chinese New Year, and in honour of the Year of the Monkey, I’ve gathered some my favourite adaptations of the Monkey King stories. The Monkey King is one of…
Fantastic and Forgotten Christmas Stories
Eric Christensen
The holidays are always a time for stories of magic and miracles. Whether the stories are told at a place of worship, at home in front of the fireplace, or…