Marc Aplin's Blog, page 110
June 6, 2017
Wading in the Cultural Shallows: How Irish Mythology Became A Commodity for Fantasy
One night at a party I was introduced to a woman who proudly informed told me she’d named her baby daughter ‘Banshee’ in celebration of her Irish heritage. Even at the time I was pretty stunned by the announcement. For an Irish person (and I would have thought most people would have known this), this […]
June 5, 2017
Is This Normal Around Here?
So you get home to your enchanted castle, hand your coat to the golem butler who waits by the door, tut sadly at Markus; the caretaker who’s trying to fill a light globe and letting all the fairies escape, then you head to the kitchen where your goblin chef has an entire pig roasting on […]
June 4, 2017
Urskuul’s Reading Circle: Parasitology by Mira Grant – Series Review
Spoiler Warning: This review contains some spoilers for the Parasitology series. Please read with caution if you have yet to finish the books. “Our story opens where countless stories have ended in the last twenty-six years: with an idiot – in this case, my brother Shaun – deciding it would be a good idea to […]
June 3, 2017
Monthly Short Story Winner: Well-Known Fairy Tales from a Different Point of View
We know these stories by heart – but only from the hero’s POV. Did you ever think about the motivation and justification the big bad wolf had for eating Red Riding Hood’s Grandma? Maybe he was the good guy and we got it all wrong? Remember, the winners write history and they never picture themselves […]
June 2, 2017
Small Press, Big Stories: Grimbold Books
Small Press, Big Stories is a monthly column focusing on small and independent presses from around the world. This month’s featured publisher is Grimbold Books. This month on #SmallPressBigStories we’re talking to the Thames Valley’s real life equivalent of DC Peter Grant – Sammy Smith of Grimbold Books has both a warrant card and a […]
June 1, 2017
The Emerald Blade by Steven Kelliher
Eight months ago, I wrote a (fairly critical) review of Valley of Embers, the first book in Steven Kelliher’s Landkist cycle. Kelliher’s debut, I felt, had a solid and interesting premise which was somewhat let down by its execution. However, I also felt that: ‘. . . the more successful indie authors are those who […]
May 31, 2017
Tough Travels: Non-Human Heroes
At the start of every month, Fantasy-Faction will lead you (yes, YOU!) on a tour of the fantasy genre. From high to low, from classics to new releases, from epic to urban; each month, we will guide you in search of a different trope, theme or cliché. Lest we become lost, we’ll be referring to The […]
May 30, 2017
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn: A Look Back
As fantasy readers across the world wait with bated breath for the June release of The Witchwood Crown and Tad Williams’ return to the world of Osten Ard, Fantasy Faction is taking a look back at Memory, Sorrow and Thorn—Williams’ seminal work of epic fantasy and the foundation for his new series, The Last King […]
David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy: Legend Award
Arthur had his sword in the stone. The Legend award has its axe on the podium. Snaga the Sender. The Blades of no Return. The axe of Druss the Legend, himself. And the prize of the peoples’ champion, whomever they choose. Because Legends are not born – they are made. The Legend award, one of […]
May 29, 2017
Exploring Vvardenfell: How Morrowind Created an Immersive Secondary World
Back in 2012, I was sitting with a group of fantasy writers at the PNWA conference in Seattle. Everyone had begun rolling off their favorite authors, and soon there were choruses of ah, yes and mmm. I just sat there silently with a glass of ice water. Most of my writing career had been a conscious detour around […]
