Starter Villain by John Scalzi – Review
Julia Kitvaria Sarene
A clever, chaotic sci-fi comedy full of talking animals, double-crossing villains, and absurd plans. Starter Villain is sharp, funny, and an absolute joy from start to finish.
villains
How to Create Fantasy Villains
Kellie Doherty
Fantasy villains. Either you love them or you hate them, but good villains are memorable either way. However, writing good villains is hard! I know. I’ve written two fantasy books…
Crafting A Fall: Turning Heroes to the Dark Side
Aaron Miles
Who doesn’t love to see a character go bad? A man pushed too far pushing back? A loyal but ambitious servant helping themselves for a change? A noble hero broken…
Blurring The Lines
So I started reading the Dragon Prince trilogy by Melanie Rawn. It’s part of the classical fantasy cannon, and the books have been on my TBR pile for ages. While…
Monthly Short Story Winner: Gangsters and Crime Lords
Xiagan
Al Capone. The Godfather. Kingpin. There are many infamous crime lords in history and pop culture. Your job this month is to bring them into a fantasy setting. They don’t…
A Monster’s Place
The terrifying monster has been a staple of the fantasy genre since its earliest origins, when bards told tales around a fire at the dawn of time. They frightened listeners…
When Good Turns Bad: The Reversed Hero’s Journey
Nicola Alter
The typical “hero’s journey” is a structure that can be found not only in fantasy fiction but also in many other genres. You can analyse the twists and turns of…
The Ciftci Case: Is Gollum Good or Evil?
Richard Bray
Almost 80 years after Gollum appeared in The Hobbit, and 60 years after Frodo first suggests that it may have been better if Bilbo had killed Gollum when he first…
On The Trail Of Evil – A Look At Villainous Main Characters
The skies have darkened and night has come to the world. Thieves and assassins skulk in every shadow, waiting for their chance to strike. Ruthless politicians claw their way up…
The Villain with a Thousand Faces (Part Two): The One-Line Backstory
Stephen Deas
About the author: Her Holiness the Dragon Queen Zafir, Speaker of the Nine Realms, has played both pro- and antagonist roles in her career as a fictional character. She is…
The Villain With A Thousand Faces – Part One: Cardboard Cut-Outs
About The Author: Her Holiness the Dragon Queen Zafir, Speaker of the Nine Realms, has played both pro- and antagonist roles in her career as a fictional character. She is…
Monthly Short Story Winner: Luck
Jennie Ivins
Hello everyone! I’m a little late with my article this month. I blame April. It didn’t give me adequate notice it was ending until May had already begun. Anyway, lots…