Marc Aplin's Blog, page 168

Star Wars: Aftermath – A Discussion

Star Wars: Aftermath is a good book. You should read it. Let’s get that out of the way right now, because in the days since it was released, Aftermath has taken an undeserved beating. Despite what the naysayers would have you think, it is most definitely a Star Wars novel. It is true to the […]

The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker

So this is it, the climax of R. Scott Bakker’s The Prince of Nothing, with (the impossible to pronounce) The Thousandfold Thought. What we witness in this final volume is the Holy War’s further ventures into the land of the Fanim, the climatic battles that are a part of this, and the culmination of many […]

Top Ten Fictional Pirates

Avast, matey! Talk Like a Pirate Day be coming up, so pull up a barrel and help yerself to some grog as I be running through a list of my favourite fictional pirates! Pirates are characters that lend themselves to a fantasy setting really well. Even those pirate tales that couldn’t strictly be called fantasy […]

Two Characters Walk into a Bar…

What is it about bars, pubs and taverns that makes them so darn fun to read about in fantasy? I don’t know about you, but I get a gleeful little kick when authors create the perfect watering holes where characters can wander in and grab a drink. The right bar setting can become iconic: Mos […]

The Sequel Philip K. Dick Couldn’t Write

We are excited to hand you guys over to Peter Tieryas who has kindly agreed to stop by Fantasy-Faction and tell us a bit about the inspiration for and motivation behind his upcoming book, United States of Japan. It’s a spiritual sequel to Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle, and explores many […]

Armageddon Bound by Tim Marquitz

If you happen to be Lucifer’s nephew you should expect life to be a little bit tough. Luckily for the ‘hero’ he does not have the horns (though a horn of sorts is alluded to on many occasions throughout the book), tail or trident of a devil. In fact, Frank (or Triggaltheron), as he is […]

Free Prequel to ‘The Cathedral of Known Things’ from Edward Cox

We here at Fantasy-Faction were big fans of Edward Cox’s début novel, The Relic Guild. It was a fantasticly written book featuring multiple kinds of magic by an author who shows a lot of potential. Naturally then, we are excited about the upcoming sequel, The Cathedral of Known Things. To tick us over until the novel […]

Star Wars Aftermath by Chuck Wendig: Review

The Canon of Star Wars is in a state of confusion right now and long-time fans of the franchise are, rightly, angry. Since 1978, people all around the world have been investing their time into reading, watching and playing within the Expanded Universe. Hundreds, if not thousands, of hours have gone into this pursuit and […]

The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard

Zombies and vampires are so yesterday. Angel mythology appears to be the new frontier. The House of Shattered Wings spins its tale about The Fallen, angels who have been cast out of heaven for reasons unremembered. They set up camp on Earth in an alternate history of Paris, France. Houses are founded by the most […]

Bloodrush by Ben Galley

Welcome to the Wild West, he thought. Last stop before Hell. The fantasy genre has long been filled to the brim with coming-of-age stories. Chances are, if you’re perusing Fantasy-Faction and reading this review, you’ve read more than your share. Chances are also pretty good that you haven’t read one like Bloodrush. The first book […]