I love Knox’s mix of history and fantasy, so was happy to find this novelette. What to Expect A quick read about a roguish sprite, a loyal ogre, and a house made of magic.This story is mostly atmospheric, but serves as an excellent intro or sample of Knox’s longer works. What I liked I liked […]
Historical Fantasy
Book Review: Mon Dieu Cthulhu! by John Houlihan
Historical Fantasy (my weakness) mixing with Napoleonic Wars and Cthulhu mythos – what’s not to like? What to Expect ‘Mon Dieu Cthulhu’ is a collection of two stories with the inimitable Gaston d’Bois, a hussar lieutenant fighting in the Iberian peninsula against Wellington’s army. While dealing with the war, he comes across monsters far older […]
Book Review: Into the Second World, by Ellis L. Knox
I’ve previously read Goblins at the Gate by Ellis Knox and loved it, and was looking forward to delve again into his brand of alternate-fantasy-history. What to Expect Into the Second world is a novel of nineteenth-century exploration and adventure, in the style of contemporary masters like Jules Verne and HG Wells. In fact, the […]
Book Review: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, by K.J. Parker
I first saw Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City when it came out, and it caught my attention: a potentially humorous, military fantasy exploit by an author known for his historical and humorous works (KJ Parker is a pseudonym for Tom Holt). I’m glad I read it. What to expect The story starts by […]
Book Review: What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank, by Krista D. Ball
I can’t remember exactly when What Kings Ate floated past me, but given my love of both fantasy and historical foodstuffs I knew it was going to be a hit. What to expect A non-fiction that’s still light-hearted, both informative and entertaining. The author covers many aspects of food throughout history as a way to […]
Book Review: A Natural History of Dragons, by Marie Brennan
Multiple people (whose tastes I trust) have repeatedly recommended me the Memoirs of Lady Trent, and I finally got to reading it. I can see what the fuss was about, as it is certainly a unique work in the realms of fantasy. What to Expect Written in first person as a memoir (an old lady […]
Book Review: Draka Raid, by Nils Nisse Visser
I love historical-fantasy blends (no surprises), and the promise of a realistic depiction of the dark ages caught my attention. What to expect A novella based on Anglo-Saxon England in the 9th century. A village in Sussex is facing a Danish raid, with the chief and warriors away and his daughter ruling in his stead. […]
Book Review: A Gathering of Ravens, by Scott Oden
A Gathering of Ravens is an intelligent, intriguing, and different kind of fantasy tale. I read it just in time for the release of the sequel, which is now high on my TBR list. What to expect Set at the turn of the 11th century, Oden weaves an incredible tale of historical fantasy that brings […]
World-building Historical Fantasy (or, of Unicorns and Icebergs)
The Historical Fantasy Book Club is one of my favourite FB groups (shocking, I know), and back in June they invited me for an “author takeover”. I thought rather than talking about my usual topics (Romans, and their obsession with fantastical beasts and how to cook them), I’d try to create a broader discussion, one […]
All in a Name: Romans, Russians, and Fantasy
A character’s name will be the trait most often referred to in a book, so today I’d like to talk about historical and fantastical names, as well as literary usage. We’d start with a quick review of some interesting naming conventions from history (Romans, duh, but also others), then touch on fantasy and science fiction […]
