Marc Aplin's Blog, page 115
April 3, 2017
Preparing A D&D Campaign
Welcome to Tabletop Tuesday! Here at Fantasy-Faction, we’re passionate about all things fantasy, be it books, films, or video games. However, this new semi-regular feature aims to celebrate the classic medium of tabletop gaming. Last week, G. R. Matthews spoke about the wealth of brilliant board games available; today, Stephen Rhodes is offering valuable advice to anyone […]
April 2, 2017
Interview with Mark Lawrence
One could argue that the phrase “Work until you no longer have to introduce yourself” perfectly suits Mark Lawrence. I’m pretty sure that no one in this community can say they haven’t heard of him, so let’s just skip the introductions and head to the interview itself, which is more about Red Sister than Mark […]
March 31, 2017
Tough Travels: Beginnings
This is NOT an April Fools’ Day trick. Tough Travelling is back! 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 […]
March 30, 2017
Sieges and Siegecraft, Part One: Attackers
Throughout the bloody pages of innumerable fantasy books there are countless examples of the siege in fiction. From epic wars that last for years to brutal assaults that are swift and decisive, sieges are a classic element in many stories. They can provide some of the most dramatic and memorable events of the book, opening […]
March 29, 2017
The Heart of Stone by Ben Galley
‘There will always be wars. And I will always fight them.’ Task is a soldier like no other. For one thing, he’s not human. For another, ‘following orders’ is not a choice, nor has disobedience ever been an option during his four long centuries of existence. The reason for this is that Task is a […]
March 28, 2017
Interview with Nicholas Eames
Those who follow my reviews over on Booknest may already know that I found “Kings of the Wyld” one of the greatest debuts I’ve ever read. I even took a gamble and declared it debut of the year. Since I have the joy to call Nicholas a friend (at least as far as a Facebook […]
March 27, 2017
Bored of games… board of life?
All right, I’m sorry for the title pun. Let me just say that now, but it seemed too good an opportunity to waste. This past year I’ve got hooked into Board Games and they deserve the capitals! We’re not, or at least I’m not, talking about Cluedo or Monopoly, Ludo or Snakes and Ladders. I am […]
March 26, 2017
Small Press, Big Stories: NewCon Press
To kick off this new monthly column focusing on small and independent presses from around the world, what better place to start than Ian Whates’ NewCon Press, which has published stories, collections, and novels by some of the biggest names in the genre over the last ten years? I caught up with Ian as NewCon […]
March 24, 2017
A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab
Spoiler Warning: To the extent possible, I have done my best to minimize spoilers for the entire Shades of Magic trilogy. However, this is a review of the third book in a trilogy, so some details might have been inadvertently revealed. If so, I apologize in advance. When V. E. Schwab recently visited the Washington, […]
March 22, 2017
When Characters Shed Names
We real-world folks can get very attached to our names. Most of us only change them when we get married or divorced, convert to a new religion, or arrive in a new country. Even then, such changes often only alter part of our name, such as the family name, or the way it is pronounced. […]
