Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill
Idlewilder
Think you know fairy tales? Think again. Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill is initially the story of Jared and Tiffany Thatcher and their life together, from high school…
urban fantasy
London Falling by Paul Cornell
Hierath
London Falling, the first venture into dark fantasy for acclaimed Doctor Who and Demon Knights writer Paul Cornell, certainly lives up to the dark promise on display in “The Family…
Between Two Thorns by Emma Newman
Victoria Hooper
Magic is closer than any of us could imagine; hidden but powerful, existing parallel to our own world. Perhaps even in your own living room, only a thin veil away.…
Minding the Gaps: The Dresden Files Books 1 – 6
Zachary A. Matzo
Author’s Note: This is the first in an intermittent series of articles covering fantasy series that I probably should have read much sooner. As I cross a particular series (or…
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
“Dear Diary, he began. On Friday I had a job, a fiancée, a home, and a life that made sense. (Well, as much as any life makes sense). Then I…
Legion by Brandon Sanderson
Eric Christensen
There has never really been a thriving market for novellas. Along with its misfit sister format the novelette, novellas can be difficult to sell. However, the rise of ebooks is…
Hidden Things by Doyce Testerman
Liz Fellshot Ambrose
I have a certain wariness of some subgenres in fantasy. There’s urban fantasy, whose settings I find really interesting but I tend to want all the protagonists to fall off…
When Nice Girls Write Dark Fantasy
Ashley Barnard
I’m a nice girl. A very nice girl. I’ve been told many times that I am the nicest person so-and-so has ever met. And happy too! I sing Broadway show…
Cursed by Benedict Jacka
Paul Wiseall
This review contains some spoilers for Fated and Cursed. Please read with caution. Fated, the first novel in the Alex Verus series from Benedict Jacka is, in my opinion, one…
Black Blade Blues by J. A. Pitts
Faith M. Boughan
I first picked up Black Blade Blues because the premise sounded intriguing—a female blacksmith who makes sword props, who suddenly finds out that dwarves, trolls, and dragons are real? And…
Monthly Short Story Winner: Secrets
Jennie Ivins
Spring has sprung as the saying goes. And since spring is a time of new beginnings I thought we’d try something new for April’s writing contest. This month instead of…
Fated by Benedict Jacka
I am always apprehensive at the thought of urban fantasy including magic. I love both UF as a sub-genre and I does bloody love me a good magic system, but…