SFX

1 min read

Words have mystical power in Jay Posey’s space opera EVERY SKY A GRAVE (out now, Harper Voyager). Set in a future where mankind has mastered the Deep Language of the universe, it centres on an adept sent to a world that’s become corrupted. The world

SFX

1 min read

Pick of the paperbacks this time: Adrian Tchaikovsky’s CAGE OF SOULS ( , out now, Head Of Zeus). Set when the sun is dying and less than 100,000 humans survive in the last city, it centres on a rebel confined on an island prison in a predator-filled

Writing Magazine

6 min read

Every genre has its tropes, and fantasy is no different. We’ve explored archetypes in these pages before, which refer much more to recurring characters and character types. Tropes are more general themes and motifs that occur within an area of fictio

Writing Magazine

1 min read

The University of Glasgow School of Critical Studies has launched the Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic. The new venture’s inaugural event was a free Zoom lecture on 16 September by fantasy author Ellen Kushner, followed by a discussion panel on f

The Writer

13 min read

All fiction is speculative to some extent, posing a “what-if” question, which serves as the premise and drives the plot. But for fantasy author Kij Johnson, winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Award, the specific genre of speculative fiction adds its

SFX

1 min read

RELEASED OUT NOW! 344 pages | Paperback/ebook Author Steve Feasey Publisher Bloomsbury A magic sword, an abandoned baby of mysterious origins, and a malevolent sorcerer looking to plunge the world into chaos… Dark Blade ticks off a lot of epic fantas

Writer's Digest

2 min read

David Burns says the reason why fantasy is such an old but thriving literary genre is that fantasy stories speak to emotional truths. “A good fantasy story is going to make you feel something and resonate about subjects such as love, family and the n

SFX

1 min read

As ever, there’s tons more books we couldn’t fit in. Almost-human wolves and a living ship made of bones are among the delights of Laird Hunt’s dark fairytale in THE HOUSE IN THE DARK OF THE WOODS (out now, One). Alison Littlewood’s MISTLETOE (out no

SFX

1 min read

MEET THE COMPLIANCE MANAGER BEHIND YA FANTASY NOVEL KINGDOM OF SOULS Tell us about your protagonist. Arrah hails from a powerful family of witchdoctors, but doesn’t have magic of her own. When the Demon King threatens her kingdom, she must trade year

SFX

1 min read

Leiber’s father (also Fritz) was a successful actor, most notably playing Franz Lizst in Universal’s Phantom Of The Opera (1943). The book was expanded from The Pale Brown Thing, first published in the Jan/Feb 1977 editions of Fantasy And Science Fic

Popshot Magazine

1 min read

ISSUE 25 — FANTASY AUTUMN 2019 There are no limits on fantasy. Yet, in literature it is so heavily steeped in genre it’s impossible not to think of warring kingdoms, dragons, unicorns, witches and other supernatural tropes. Fantasy with a capital F i

ImagineFX

1 min read

Author Dian Hanson Publisher Taschen Price £150 Web www.taschen.com Available Now Taschen’s Masterpieces of Fantasy Art showcases imaginative art primarily from the 20th century, in a mammoth, highly produced hardback. Yet this mouth-watering prospec

Writing Magazine

3 min read

Verily is a US web journal for women. The editorial team ‘sifts through the noise of the world to elevate what is honest, real, and beautiful for the modern woman’. Columns requiring subs are Travel with a Local about the ‘hidden gems’ in your neighb

SFX

1 min read

RELEASED 6 FEBRUARY 352 pages | Paperback/ebook/audiobook Author Luke Arnold Publisher Orbit Fans of Black Sails will likely find the name Luke Arnold familiar. He played John Silver in the pirate series, as well as being a mainstay on numerous other

SFX

1 min read

Neal Shusterman’s latest, GAME CHANGER (out now, Walker) centres on a teenage American football player, who’s… oh right, you’ve lost interest before I mention how he bounces into parallel worlds, right? Fair enough. Hannah Mathewson’s debut WITHERWAR

Writing Magazine

6 min read

We’ve explored numerous aspects of fantasy and science-fiction here over the years, and one thing we know is that – on average – books in these genres tend to be longer than those in other forms. There are numerous reasons for this – you could argue

The Atlantic

5 min read

A much-anticipated young-adult debut taps into a tradition of speculative fiction rooted in African culture.

Writing Magazine

3 min read

The Common Tongue magazine publishes dark fantasy and speculative fiction online, plus fantasy anthologies. They like a multicultural mix of work and welcome subs from authors anywhere, but are particularly keen on ‘writers whose voices give better u

You South Africa

1 min read

1 What colour is an emerald? 2 In which Italian city do you find this tower that’s famous because it leans over? 3 What’s the name of the witchcraft and wizardry school in the Harry Potter books and movies? 4 This is the flag of which of South

ImagineFX

1 min read

LOCATION: Philippines MEDIA: Photoshop WEB: www.jbcasacop.com “An artwork for The Lord of the Rings card game. I used myself and my practice sword as a reference.” “Another LOTR card game piece. I enjoyed detailing the clothes and the expression of t

PC Gamer

1 min read

Made up of humans, dwarves, and elves, the Alliance are the all-rounders with tech, magic, and knights. The orcs, trolls, and tauren faction is full of melee bruisers backed up by shamanistic magic powers. The undead Scourge is fuelled by necromant

Writing Magazine

1 min read

US indie Stark Raven Press specialises in fantastic and speculative literature, particularly horror, science fiction, and dark fantasy. They publish novels, collections, and anthologies of fiction, and occasionally non-fiction in print and ebook. Sub

Writing Magazine

1 min read

Various authors and publishers are making books and stories freely available to keep readers entertained during the pandemic. Though the magazine closed down last year, Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show has put all 69 issues of the scien

Writing Magazine

1 min read

FableCroft Publishing is an Australian independent press of speculative fiction. The editorial team has been ‘so tipped upside down and shaken in ways we could barely have imagined, except perhaps in the post-apocalyptic and dystopic worlds of story.

Literary Hub

2 min read

It is entirely possible that I have never had an accurate sense of what is called realism in that I do not, as a reader, discriminate between it and fantasy. My earliest reading was Greek mythology. As with my prayers, nothing was ever deleted, but

Writing Magazine

1 min read

Cast of Wonders is a podcast producing young adult speculative short fiction. Each week it presents short stories in the genres of ‘hard science fiction… urban fantasy, horror, steampunk, superheroes and more.’ The team want stories with ‘deep emotio

ImagineFX

3 min read

LOCATION: France MEDIA: Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, Procreate WEB: www.artstation.com/lauffray “My priority is to work as a storyteller,” says freelance illustrator and concept artist Mathieu. “I put myself in the mindset of a character, then focus

Weekend Argus Saturday

1 min read

FOR little readers aged 9 and above, magic awaits in an enchanting fairytale adventure about the power of love and courage. The Castle of Tangled Magic, written by Sophie Anderson and published by Penguin Random House, follows Olia as she adventures

Literary Hub

4 min read

Today marks the release of one of the most anticipated books of the year: Marlon James’s Black Leopard, Red Wolf, a sprawling literary fantasy and the first in a projected series. James is one of our best and most interesting contemporary writers, an

Writing Magazine

1 min read

Portal Books are launching a new imprint devoted to fantasy and science fiction. While all subgenres of speculative fiction will be considered, the editorial team of Taran Matharu (author of the multi-million selling Summoner series), Michael Miller