Marc Aplin's Blog, page 192
January 20, 2015
The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu
This is a book about secrets. It isn’t just in the way the protagonist, Maxine Kiss, keeps secrets from the rest of the world, or in the way the demons who live in her tattoos keep secrets from her, or even in the way she has to pry answers out of everyone around her in […]
January 18, 2015
The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington
If you’ve read Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time, it’s almost impossible to miss the clear influence the series has had on James Islington’s debut novel, The Shadow of What Was Lost. It’s a comparison that’s certainly complimentary, as Shadow evokes much of the same adventure, scope and coming-of-age entertainment as The Wheel of Time. […]
January 17, 2015
H.P. Lovecraft Omnibus 1: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft
You probably think you’re safe as you’re reading this. You might be sat in the comfort of your home, or with a tablet on the morning commute. You might be at the office, reading on your lunch hour. Everything seems normal. But just out of reach, in the corner of your eye, something evil lurks. […]
January 16, 2015
The Iron Ghost by Jen Williams
Although I’m in danger of echoing some of Joanne Hall’s excellent commentary published here earlier this month, I feel that The Iron Ghost absolutely deserves the attention of two reviews. I’d like to start by highlighting Joanne’s point about middle book syndrome and the way in which The Iron Ghost so deftly escapes it. This is […]
January 15, 2015
What Makes a Good Badass?
Everyone loves a good badass, and, let’s admit it, our genre is full of them! But what makes a successful badass and how do they fit into our stories? Well, first off, it’s worth noting that this is going to be an extremely subjective article, as what works for one reader will never work for […]
January 14, 2015
Underground Fantasy – Part Three: Tunnels and Secret Passageways
So far in this series we’ve wandered through caves, dungeons, tombs and enclosed mazes to find out what makes underground fantasy settings so atmospheric and alluring. In the third and final article on this theme we will look at tunnels and secret passageways as a means of connecting all these subterranean settings together. Discussing their […]
Harry Potter gets a new look in upcoming ‘Deluxe’ Editions
Bloomsbury Publishing has revealed a new look for Harry Potter and his wizarding world. They come with the announcement that the publishing firm are working on a new deluxe hardback edition of the book that will be loaded with 110 full-colour illustrations and a unique cover done by renowned artist, Jim Kay (a Kate Greenaway […]
January 13, 2015
Plotting The A-Team Way
< Dum Dum Du Du De Dum (you’ll just have imagine the tune) > In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they […]
Three Years In The Monkey House. Guest Blog by Gareth L. Powell
Sometimes as a child I would lie in bed and worry what would happen if, in the morning, I awoke with no memory of lying in bed worrying. Would I still be the same person or would I have changed? If memories make us who we are, what happens when we forget doing or thinking […]
January 11, 2015
Elements of Fantasy: Elves
Ever glimpsed a spark of light moving around fertile trees? You experienced the sight for picking up on elf activity. Elves are angelic tree-spirits that reside side by side with angels in heaven. Although they originated in Germany, their sprits migrated across Europe, into Scandinavia and through Great Britain. Iceland has the largest population of […]
