For a while there, it seemed the “mashup” novel was ascendant. A mashup results when a classic (and often public domain) work of literature is used as the basis for an alternative version that includes modern speculative tropes, like monsters. For a prime example, look at Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, which reimagines not only our 16th President […]
When writing a science fiction or fantasy story that isn’t pure alternate history, including real-life events or historical figures is a dangerous trick: pull it off, and you’re rewarded with verisimilitude in spades, not to mention the fun of playing with reality in a very literal way. Get it wrong, and it can actually sabotage the suspension […]