For those of you who don’t know this about me, you should know for the context of this essay that I’m a former English Language Arts teacher and an Adjunct Professor in Writing Comprehension. Now, I work as a librarian and I continue to use my knowledge of the English language to write my essays,… Continue reading In Defense of Brandon Sanderson and the Fantasy Literary Genre
Tag: Religion
Why You Need to Read: “The Empire’s Ruin”
Ashes of the Unhewn Throne, #1: The Empire’s Ruin By: Brian Staveley Published: July 6, 2021 Genre: Epic Fantasy “But it can’t be coincidence, can it? The Annurians burn down the Purple Baths and then, the very next morning, these naked fools show up talking about an attacking army,” (5). When an individual reads a work of… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Empire’s Ruin”
Why You Need to Read: “The House of Always”
A Chorus of Dragons, #4: The House of Always By: Jenn Lyons Published: May 11, 2021 Genre: Fantasy Thank you Tor for sending me an eARC of this book. I listened to excerpts of the audiobook, too. Note: There are a few spoilers from the first three books in A Chorus of Dragons series. After I have my… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The House of Always”
Why You Need to Listen to: “The Original”
The Original By: Brandon Sanderson & Mary Robinette Kowal Audiobook: 3 hours 24 minutes Released: September 14, 2020 Narrated by: Julia Whelan Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller Have you ever listened to any audio story or audio narrative without the text or any visuals to follow along to? I believe the most familiar example of this would be Peter and… Continue reading Why You Need to Listen to: “The Original”
“Best of” Lists: The Greatest, the Essential and Personal Favorites
So, TIME Magazine is the latest publication to release its list of “The Best Fantasy Novels of All Time.” The magazine even went further than Forbes and known fan sites (and critics) and had a panel consisting of leading fantasy authors to form, to vote, and to finalize their “selections.” While this list is impressive with selections… Continue reading “Best of” Lists: The Greatest, the Essential and Personal Favorites
Why You Need to Read: “The Girl in the Tower”
Winternight Trilogy, #2: The Girl in the Tower By: Katherine Arden Published: December 5, 2017 Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Folklore/Magic Realism/Coming-of-Age Highborn women, who must live and die in towers, were much given to visiting. Now and again, they stayed overnight for company, when their husbands were away, (1: The Death of the Snow-Maiden). Folklore maintains traditions and cultures that… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Girl in the Tower”
Why You Need to Read: “The Year of the Witching”
The Year of the Witching By: Alexis Henderson Published: July 21, 2020 Genre: Dark Fantasy/Occult Fiction Immanuelle had always felt a strange affinity for the Darkwood, a kind of stirring whenever she neared it. It was almost as though the forbidden wood sang a song that only she could hear, as though it was daring… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Year of the Witching”
Why You Need to Read: “Realm of Ash”
The Books of Ambha: #2: Realm of Ash By: Tasha Suri Published: November 12, 2019 Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Coming-of-Age NOTE: Some minor spoilers from Empire of Sand. You have been warned. “My blood—my Amrithi blood in this loyal Ambhan body—is part of the curse. But it’s also part of the cure. I just don’t know how. But the… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Realm of Ash”
Review of Season One of “His Dark Materials”
Season one of His Dark Materials, based on The Northern Lights/The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman has completed its run on the BBC and on HBO, and they didn’t alter the ending! Overall, season one was a great adaptation to the books and some of the “fillers” worked well for the narrative that was presented to the audience.… Continue reading Review of Season One of “His Dark Materials”
Why You Need to Read: “Spinning Silver”
Spinning Silver By: Naomi Novik Published: July 10, 2018 Genre: Fantasy/Folklore/Fairy Tale Retellings PLEASE NOTE: The following contains spoilers from this novel. You have been warned. So we knew that the Staryk had not given us a purse of silver to be kind. I couldn’t think why they had left it, yet there it was… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Spinning Silver”