Our Favorite Thieves in Fantasy Lit
The “fantasy” label encompasses a lot of subgenres. I have a weak spot for many of them (hello, gaslight! Hello,…
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Epic Fantasy, No Waiting: Julia Knight’s Duellists Trilogy
As fans wait in agony for the next volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, we can’t but celebrate…
Genre Mashups: Fantasy Novels for Austen Fans
Genre mashups are a mature art form these days. We’ve thrown together religious pilgrimages and sci-fi apocalypses, Victorian morals and modern technology,…
Throwback Thursday: Summers at Castle Auburn Reveals the Dark Side of a Princess Story
I first read Summers of Castle Auburn because it was the only Sharon Shinn I could get my hands on. I…
Twelve Kings in Sharakhai Is a Promising Start to a Sandswept Fantasy Epic
Welcome to Sharakhai, a shining city, an oasis in the middle of a desert, made wealthy through its control of vital…
7 Amazing Female Friendships in Fiction
Besties! BFFs! #SquadGoals! Whether it’s Taylor Swift and her parade of friends onstage, or adorable groups of puppies on Twitter,…
Throwback Thursday: Irresistible Theives and Refreshing Sexuality in the Nightrunner Series
In the late ’90s, I attended a school that was within walking distance of a bookstore. This is the book nerd version…
Dead Man’s Reach Is a Fantastical, Historical Noir Popcorn Adventure
Quick! What comes to mind when someone says “1770, Boston”? Funny hats! Colonies! The Adams Family! (Not that one.) Redcoats! Violence…
Throwback Thursday: The Black Jewels Trilogy Is a Fantasy Epic About Overcoming Trauma
About a dozen years ago, I was in the midst of a fantasy reading binge. From Terry Goodkind to Terry…
Cold Iron Is a Flintlock Fantasy Unafraid to Upend Genre Conventions
Hey, have you heard the one about the crown prince who nearly died saving a bunch of peoples’ lives, and then…
The Philosopher Kings Reveals What Happens to the Children of Utopia
“You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.” –Antonie de Saint-Exupery Earlier this year, Jo Walton’s The Just City began a fascinating…
The Hanged Man Is a Magical, Suspenseful Gaslamp Fantasy
One of the things that I love most about sci-fi and fantasy is the permeability of the genres—their ability to constantly…
Fantasy Casting Neil Gaiman’s American Gods
The day of our rejoicing has arrived! After years of speculation, Starz, the television home of Outlander, announced it has…
Character Showdown: Game of Thrones vs. Shakespeare
Game of Thrones‘ fantastic fifth season ends this Sunday, meaning we’ll have to bid adieu for another year to all the…
For Your Next Cocktail Party: A Crib Sheet of Classic Literary References
I love hanging out with book nerds, for many reasons. One of them is feeling like I’m part of an elite…
6 Scenes from Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell We Can’t Wait to See Onscreen
Over the weekend, the long, long, long-awaited BBC adaptation of Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell finally began its…
10 Shakespearean Romances, Ranked
Shakespeare wrote some of the greatest tragedies the English language has ever seen, his comedies still have them rolling in the aisles,…
Love and Marriage: 5 Books for Newlyweds
It’s spring! Season of mercifully rising temperatures (and less mercifully rising allergies), flowers in bloom, and, of course, l’amour. Yes, that’s…