#both adult and young adult but especially fantasy and horror romance

[wri0thesley]

i know that the brain is not moved by nice words, no matter how much we wish it were, but... even so... i DO need you to know that your 2d anime man (& lady) erotica FREQUENTLY moves me, and has made a huge and marked improvement in my real human life.

TMI, but... as i'm sure you're aware: it sucks to be fat in a world that hates fat people. earlier this year, it was really rock bottom for me, the worst it's been in a while. "couldn't take care of myself" levels. sometimes i couldn't shower because then i would have to see me, and i couldn't bear it. any time i thought about or acknowledged my body in any way was just. agony. and i'm not going to pretend it got better magically (or solely because of your fics, lol-- therapy, etc) but reading about fat people being loved and beloved, with no qualifiers... it helps. it's the crack in the impenetrable wall of self-hatred. it opens up the possibility of what if and makes me able to imagine the possibility of being loved-- and through that door, maybe someday, loving myself. and there are so, so few places to find stories like that, about fat people, written with love and care and enthusiasm, that are sweet and elegant and hot-- nevermind stories written with skills like yours.

so, you know. fire that one back at the brain horrors.

anon, i appreciate you very deeply! i am feeling a little bit better today about my writing because i am having fun doing it and that is really what is important, but it also means a lot to me that other people are affected - no matter how little - by the silly things i post on my blog <3. i am glad you are feeling better about yourself recently and i hope that such a thing continues to happen to you, because you deserve it! <3

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: werewolves

Want your monsters a little hairier? Then this list is for you! Whether you prefer your werewolf books fantasy, horror, slice of life, or romance, this list has a something for everyone (especially if you want your werewolves queer!)

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Lobizona (Wolves of No World series) by Romina Garber

Young adult. As an undocumented immigrant, Manu has been told her existence is illegal. When her mother is arrested by ICE, Manu is left alone, and decides to seek out the only connection she has left: her dead father's criminal connections. Here she finds a secret underworld of Argentinian folklore, where a seventh daughter is a bruja and a seventh son is a lobizón - a werewolf. But as Manu understands more about who and what she is, she comes to realize her self is seen as forbidden in more ways than one, and that she will have to fight for her way to exist. Tackles heavy subjects in a more lighthearted magic school setting.

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

Horror. Nearly a year ago, Joan's husband Victor disappeared seemingly into thin air. That is, until Joan stumbles across a revival tent where the local Métis have gathered to listen to the charismatic preacher Eugene Wolff - a man with Victor's face. But when she faces him, he doesn't recognize her at all, claiming his mission is only to spread the word of Jesus. Only, that is far from all he's doing. Now Joan must find out the truth of what happened to her husband.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal*

Young adult. Priya had plans to go to Stanford, but is derailed when the fallout from lyme disease puts her back, making her question if she'll ever get back to normal. Luckily she has her discord support group with whom she can chat and vent about her illness. Even more - she has Brigid, online fandom friend and fellow chronic illness sufferer. But when Brigid disappears from the web without warning, Priya must drive to Pennsylvania to make sure her friend is okay - and finds that Brigid's condition is a bit hairier than she expected.

Santa Olivia (Santa Olivia duology) by Jacqueline Carey*

Is this werewolf fiction? Technically not. It's sci-fi more than fantasy or horror, with a plot reminiscent of superhero stories. It follows Loup Garron, a young girl growing up in Santa Olivia, an isolated town by the border between the US and Mexico, where the inhabitants aren't allowed to leave. Loup is the daughter of a "Wolf Man", a soldier enhanced with wolven traits which she have now inherited, allowing her to take a stand against the soldiers keeping her small home town oppressed. Also features a main f/f couple!

A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée*

Novella, lesbian soulmate romance. Red wolves went extinct in Alabama long ago - except for the ancestors of Yasmine's family, who were saved by witches putting a spell on them, allowing them to take human form to hide. Now, that spell is growing weaker, and Yasmine is struggling for control with her wolf. When a chance encounter with the exiled blood witch Kalta reveals the two to be not only fated mates but also the possible answer to the pack's struggles, Yasmine and Kalta both must work together to overcome the grief in their hearts and save their families.

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones

Horror. A coming-of-age story following a boy and his aunt Libby and uncle Darren, living on the road and staying outside the law. They're all outsiders, but Libby and Darren are mongrels, mixedbloods, werewolves waiting to see if their nephew is like them or not. The boy, meanwhile, must decide if the wandering life of his family is for him, or if he belongs somewhere else.

How to Be a Werewolf by Shawn Lenore*

Graphic novel, available as printed or webcomic. Malaya was bitten by a wolf as a child, and ever since she has lived an isolated life with her family, working in their coffee shop and fearing she will lose control of her wolf side. Having never met another werewolf, Malaya knows little of what she is - until she meets a stranger claiming to be like her, and that she's far from alone. But the more she gets involved with other werewolves, the more she also gets dragged into the dangerous conflicts between packs.

Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens

Middle grade graphic novel. One night, young Artie witnesses something incredible - her own mother turning into a wolf. She finds out she's from a lineage of werewolves, and to help her awaken her abilities her mother invites family friends who are like them. A new world opens up for Artie, but so do dark secrets: werewolves have a deadly enemy, and it's coming back for them.

Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella

Brian is a slacker, having dropped out from college, working as a waiter, and spending his nights drinking with his friends - except the nights when he turns into a werewolf, of course. But after having slipped and killed a jogger, Brian is noticed by fellow werewolf Tyler, who's working on a self-help startup for werewolves and offers to mentor Brian. At first Tyler's methods helps Brian get back on his feet, but the more he learns of Tyler's expansion plans, the more he realizes he might be bad news. A good read if you want a funny, goofy take down of toxic masculinity that doesn't take itself very seriously.

Such Sharp Teeth by Kim Harrison*

When her pregnant twin sister is left by her boyfriend, Rory decides to go back to her home town and stay with her for a time. But the town is also the home of old childhood trauma, and something wild is roaming the woods. When she gets attacked and mauled one night, Rory's successful life is changed forever. Lycanthropy used as a metaphor for female rage, trauma, and bad coping mechanisms.

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

Young adult horror. It's been years since Eleanor Zarrin last saw her family, having been sent away to boarding school when she was little. But after a bloody misstep, Eleanor must flee the school and return home to her family's manor. Here she's reminded of her family's darker side, and that she has never been able to run and hunt in the woods alongside them. But in a family of wolves Eleanor is something else - and even more dangerous.

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold

Young adult horror. A take on the little red riding hood tale where the girl is both the victim of the wolf and the huntsman who slays it. After a particularly embarrassing incident, young Bisou flees into the woods, only to be faced with a predatory wolf. To her shock, their face-off ends with the wolf dead, not Bisou. Even more shocking: the dead wolf turns into a boy. Suddenly, Bisou finds herself a hunter and a protector, routing out the wolves who masquerade as boys. Visceral and bloody, but pretty feminism 101 in its portrayal.

Fear the Wolf by Stefanie Gilmour

Urban fantasy. Alex never wanted to be a werewolf, but when a latent gene was triggered by a traumatic event, causing her to shift, she had no choice but to accept her new reality. Now she stays under the radar, avoiding other werewolves as she tries to keep a job and keep her temper under control, fearing that she will be discovered or even hurt someone. The only person outside her family who knows her secret is Emma, a wizard and Alex's closest friend. But when Emma gets a new boyfriend and starts acting strangely at the same time as attacks and disappearances of supernatural citizens are on the rise, Alex might have no other choice but to get involved in the local werewolf community to fight back.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Urban fantasy. Kitty Norville is a midnight radio host and a werewolf, having been turned after a traumatic attack. Stuck in an abusive pack, Kitty needs an outlet, and decides to use her radio midnight hour to speak about the supernatural. Soon others like her are calling in, seeking advice, and Kitty's life is looking up - but in drawing attention to the supernatural, she has also put a target on her back, and someone wants to make her shut up, no matter what.

No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull

When Laina's brother gets shot and killed, a video recording the incident reveals something shocking: a giant wolf which, when shot, turns into a naked man. The video gets leaked, and little by little monsters start coming out into the open. But there’s a reason monsters have decided to step put of hiding, something otherworldly and far more dangerous than them. Follows a large cast of characters, among them members of a werewolf pack.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool

Rules for Werewolves by Kirk Lynn

A story told entirely in dialogue, Rules For Werewolves follows a group of young outsiders, drifting from place to place and squatting in empty suburban houses as they try to build a life in a world that has no room for them,

Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson

Young adult. New kid in town, Virgil Knox, has been attacked by a monster. Only, no one believes it was actually a monster, insisting it must've been a bear. But Virgil knows it was really a monster, and now he fears that it will come back for him - or that he will become one himself.

The Devourers by Indra Das

In Kolkata, India, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger who tells him a story of a race of people at once man and beast, and a wanderer in 17th century Mughal who is torn between two worlds.

Thor by Wayne Smith

Thor the German Shepherd is devoted to his suburban family, and when Uncle Ted comes to live with his family, that devotion is put to the test. For Ted is no longer human, and Thor can sense that there is something dark and dangerous hiding inside him, something which he must keep his family safe from.

Wild by Meghan O'Brien

Selene leads a lonely life, avoiding forming close relationships to keep herself and others safe as she turns into a remorseless wolf creature every full moon. Eve is a forensic pathologist who has sworn off romantic relationships after having had an ex cheat on her, focusing instead on catching murderers. But when a masked man attacks Eve and Selene comes to her rescue, the two become unavoidably intertwined as a monster even more dangerous than Selene stalks the streets.

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

Ox Matheson's neighbors, the Bennett family, aren't ordinary people: they're shapeshifters, able to turn into wolves. Intrigued by their lifestyle, Ox becomes close to the youngest son, Joe. But when murder comes to town, Joe ends up leaving, and won't return until years later. Now adults, the feelings between them can't be denied any longer.

[realm-sweet-realm]

What do you think the villains like to read?

Giovanni: Giovanni doesn’t have much time to read for leisure, or to keep up with what’s popular that he might like. If he has the time for it, he’ll read whatever is suggested to him by whoever’s around to suggest something. He generally prefers television since his brain gets enough of a workout running his criminal empire, but if he had time off and weren’t getting that, he’d use books to make up the difference.

Maxie: Maxie is well-read. Very well-read. Unfortunately he’s also very set in his ways and prone to interpreting what he reads in a way that confirms his worldview. So yes, he’s read a ton on geology, and yes, he could hold his own with Steven Stone in a debate about rocks, but none of that will convince him that throwing rocket fuel in a volcano is a bad idea. He doesn’t have a ton of time for fiction, but he does like it, especially alternate histories.

Archie: Archie may not be as loud about his intellect as Maxie is, but he’s as well-read on ocean life and ecosystems as Maxie is on geology and land development, and he’s very passionate about it. He’s not as blinded by bias as Maxie (still pretty bad though), but Maxie has a bit more breadth to his knowledge. Archie likes action novels as well, especially post-apocalypse-related ones.

Cyrus: Cyrus researches both for work and for leisure. He’s read a lot about myth and engineering, as well as any information he could access on how other evil teams were run. He’s the type of person to read everything there is to read about very niche aspects of his interests just out of curiosity.

N: it’s a good thing N likes physics, because any fiction he read had to be vetted first so they wouldn’t give him any wrong ideas. He read a lot of math, physics and Pokémon care stuff as a kid while his fiction was being vetted for him. As a young adult, he seems like he has a childlike taste in fiction (lots of middle school adventure books and whatnot), but really he’s just making up for lost time.

Ghetsis: Ghetsis enjoys reading history, in particular anything to do with war or dictatorships. He loves imagining himself as powerful and violent historical figures and thinking about how he could have played their cards differently. He’s also a fan of theatre and likes reading playwrights. Not a fan of very unrealistic genres like fantasy and horror, but so long as it’s realistic, historical fiction is good, too- the more violent the better.

Colress: reads cutting edge scientific journals with his morning coffee. For fiction, science fiction is nice, but he will nit pick all the unscientific parts and try to think of ways he could make it work in reality. To him it’s part of the fun. This makes him either extremely interesting or extremely obnoxious to talk to about it.

Lysandre: Lysandre likes consuming media, including books, and he has very discerning tastes. While his favourites are old classics, he keeps his eye on what are considered to be the best books published that year. Poor-quality or mediocre media, especially if it’s popular, is just another sign that most people aren’t cut out to preserve the world’s beauty.

Guzma: Guzma doesn’t read very much- he’s not bad at it, he just learns better from the internet or practical experience. He has watched a lot of videos on bug Pokémon biology, though- enough that he could carry a conversation about it with a entomologist. Videos or other internet sources are his go-to when he needs to figure out a skill to maintain Po Town, and he has had to learn a lot of things as problems arise. He’s not dumb by any means.

Lusamine: Lusamine is pretty big into escapism. She likes reading fantasy, historical fiction and romance novels and cries over them easily. She also likes magazines about fashion, beauty, interior design and the like. Why can’t the real world be that beautiful?

Rose: speculative fiction. Unfortunately he’s rich and stupid enough that he he thinks he can make some of the ideas in these fiction novels into reality. If it hadn’t been Eternatus, it would have been something else. He’s well-read when it comes to finance, too.

Piers: Piers is self-taught when it comes to both his passions, and as such has read a lot about music and battle strategy. He liked fiction when he was younger, but nowadays, between his obligations as a gym leader, a musician, a leader is Spikemuth and up until recently Marnie’s caretaker, he doesn’t have time to read.

Penny: Manga, and lots of it. Also an avid AO3 user. She’s especially a fan of yuri.

[mute-me-im-scared]

Name- Mercy Kid

Type and Au-

Underswap Monster Kid

Care Level-

Beginner. Good for Bitty caretakers who are looking for their first or second bitty.

Height-

2-4 inches, averaging 3.5

Diets-

Regular human/monster food is fine. No special dietary recommendations

Magical abilities-

Mercy Kids can use spine and bite attacks to attack or defend themselves, albeit they do very little damage.

Personality-

Mercy Kids while happy they do seem more somber and sweet than other MK Bitties. They love playing with others and will do everything they can to make others smile. They hold friends close to their hearts

Mercy Kids hold honor and justice to a high value but will be forgiving if betrayed. They are more understanding than others, knowing when someone is in emotional turmoil or hurting. If they see another being hurting they may try to help in any way they can.

Mercy Kids do get jealous from time to time, but will not show it. They may hold that hurt in their hearts, but will not blame others, only themselves. Caretakers should make sure they are providing love and care to Mercy kids no matter how quiet and reserved they are.

Mercy Kids do not idolize other monsters anymore. They may admire or think well of others, but they no longer put them on a pedestal. These Bitties seem to understand the world and people more, most likely due to the fact that they are older than the other MK Bitties.

Relationships-

Mercy Kids get along with both civil and rude Bitties even when targeted. They usually brush off any remark and try and turn things around to happier topics. When affected by harsh comments they may shy away and disappear for a while. They don’t like others seeing them cry.

Mercy Kids love all avenues of family including children, pets young or old, and the elderly. They love playing, helping out, or cleaning up around the house. They may try to take on an older sibling role for babies or toddlers.

Interests and Disinterests-

Mercy kids love low-energy activities and hobbies. These can include drawing, crafting, painting, reading, and gardening. They especially love to do it with others. They don’t need much persuading to join in on high-energy activities though, and will always make sure everyone is having a good time.

Mercy Kids will watch TV but don’t prefer it over other activities. They enjoy cartoons and fantasy shows where the MC goes on wild adventures, anime is a fan favorite to them. Mercy Kids don’t like romances or cheesy rom-coms. They may also find horror films and scary movies to be too scary. Caretakers should keep in mind the show rating or supervise when letting their MK bitty watch TV or surf the web.

Mercy Kids love to play around with other kids their age and are outgoing enough to approach any child they see to play. Arranging play dates with other Caretakers is a good way to entertain your MK if you don’t have any other children.

Mercy Kids love spending time outside and may insist on walks or trips out to the park. If kept inside for too long they may get depressed. Caretakers should keep up a consistent schedule to help their Mk's emotions and mental health.

Other helpful facts-

The majority of Mercy Kids will never grow up and will remain as children for the entirety of their lives, but a few may grow into teenagers or, even rare, adults. In their adult form, they can grow horns, wings, and plant-like limbs.

(Page is liable to changes or updates. I plan to add on if questions are asked. Please read everything before asking a question.)

[chaoskirin]

Reading Middle Grade Fiction

Today I saw a post on Twitter that I replied to, but my account there is shadowbanned and it got no traction, so I'm posting here.

Context: There is discourse on Twitter stating that adults shouldn't read/buy/engage with middle grade books.

I cannot believe this is actual discourse. Adults should read WHAT THEY WANT.

Think of the age levels on books as a rating system like what's on moves. G, PG, R, et cetera.

I don't typically like 90% of the books written for adults because they do not appeal to me. I don't like sex, gratuitous violence, heavy romance, etc. These are usually the themes that end up in adult books, especially by first-time tradpub authors.

There's another 10% that are GREAT! Political fantasies, friendship-based fantasy, dark fantasy/horror, etc. Perfect for me! But for a lot of those themes, I need to look at middle grade. It's SAD to me that publishers push for romance and sexual content in books for adults. It's a tragedy to me that publishers don't consider all genres for adults and only look for what is popular at the moment. It's rare that I find an adult book that has what I want in it. And if I do, it's either an indie book, or it's a book by a popular author that publishers know will sell no matter what.

What I want are stories with zero romance. Zero sexual tension. Zero jealousy or possessiveness. There are stories out there that need to be told that do not feature those themes, but they are INCREDIBLY hard to find in adult fantasy. I DO want dragons and adventure and friendship. Danger and sorrow. Discovery.

And I really do look! I browsed Libby for hours a few weeks ago and made a tagged list of books that looked interesting, but in looking at reviews, I found romance was a HUGE part of it. I borrowed one book that really did seem promising, only to find it was cover to cover full of violence and fucking with so little story in between, it was comical.

If you've written one, or know of one, PLEASE tell me. I have found some absolute gems in indie circles, but these are hard to find because of how social media algorithms work.

And before you come at me, this isn't a slight on books with romance or violence or other mature themes. This is my frustration that the ONLY books written for adults tend to circle around one or both. I want more variety. I don't want to end one for the other. But publishers are almost exclusively going for heterosexual romance in fantasy lately, to the point where it's exceedingly hard to find anything else.

(plus, the editing is bad in a lot of these, but that's a whole other point.)

You know what also sucks? Middle grade books are becoming full of those themes, too. It's becoming harder and harder to read non-romance without going to picture books. With young adult books now just a euphemism for "adult books but with younger characters," now publishers are going after middle grade and trying to spice that up, too. I mean what the hell? Let other genres exist.

This is... a very disjointed rant. I think the point is that no one should be judging people for what they read, especially because the books that are supposedly "for me" aren't even vaguely appealing to me.

[pentanguine]

Favorite Books of 2022

It may not be January anymore, but at least it’s not May! As always, I’m dreadfully long-winded.

12. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

There is a reason this book has a thousand award medals on the cover. The period detail is so immersive, every sentence so real and personal, that I kept forgetting Lo wasn’t alive in the 50s and Lily wasn’t telling the story herself. It perfectly captures the giddy feeling of being a confused teenager in love, and I appreciated that Lily’s Chinese-American community didn’t feel like it was written for my understanding as a white reader. For the most part, it didn’t read like YA [YA is great, but not my thing], and the prose flew across the page in short, beautiful chapters. So glad I bought it on a whim.

11. The Tangleroot Palace by Marjorie Liu

A strange and lovely collection of stories told in beautiful prose, with Liu’s trademark ability to write complex, ruthless women. There were only seven and almost all were standouts, with the anthology moving from her darkest and most vicious story to the most charming and whimsical. Liu is a stunning storyteller.

10. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

A few years ago I had a failed attempt to read Witchmark, another queer Edwardian fantasy full of magical political intrigue, and this was everything I hoped Witchmark would be and wasn’t. The magic unfurled perfectly, the setting was well-realized, and the romance between Edwin and Robin blossomed so naturally, with each clearly seeing the appeal of the other and bringing realistic hangups to the table. Excellent balance of romance and intrigue, and Marske’s prose is full of original flourishes without being overwrought. Overall, highly enjoyable.

9. Red X by David Demchuk

Deliciously creepy and well-written, steeped in folklore and recent queer history. The horror feels all the more visceral because of how closely it follows the same characters’ lives, like there’s no escape—you’re being hunted, trapped, you’re fated for this end. Breaking the fourth wall adds an extra chilling touch. Strangely, without giving too much away, this book made me feel queer hope.

8. The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu

A great take on urban fantasy, with a well-drawn main character and magics both new and familiar. I especially enjoyed being inside a teen’s head in what is very much an adult fantasy, and reading Ropa’s distinct slang-filled narration. This installment felt like it was still setting things up in a lot of ways (What exactly happened to the world? Who is the king? What about Ropa’s mother? Are we going to be learning more about the Library?) but that’s all the more effective in getting me to look forward to the sequel.

7. Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

A delightful mix of archives, transmasculinity, fandom, and vampires. Even though the story is centered on fantasy/horror concepts, it’s a told in a slice of life kind of way: Sol isn’t the one who discovers [the central problem], his concerns don’t leave the niche community of archivist vampires, etc. The romance and the sex were sweet and hot, and every trans conversation felt satisfyingly not for cis people. This book might be slightly impenetrable if you aren’t part of its niche audience, but I loved it.

6. Spear by Nicola Griffith

A story about losing home and finding it again, with all the heightened moments of myth woven seamlessly with real history. Peretur is a young person testing her strength, finding love, and experiencing loss, and my heart broke for her as she realizes what she is too late to save, and that even good, wise men are only men and can be led astray. The writing is gorgeous, precise, and lyrical, and the early chapters reminded me of my own childhood, when every story feels like an adventure you want to be part of. Highly recommend for people who enjoy myth retellings and atmospheric novellas, even if Arthurian legend isn’t generally your thing.

5. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (reread)

I first read this book almost exactly five years ago, and I remember how blown away I was by the backwards structure of the novel at the time. I’d never read anything else like it, and I knew it made me Very Sad. Now, I have a renewed appreciation for the what arc does to the story: everyone ends on a note of hope in 1947, but we follow them backward into a moment of crisis that turns the story into a tragedy. They are fated, one way or another, to “end” with the beginning of their stories and follow the resulting path into inevitable pain and disappointment. What the characters love about each other and what makes them strong is also what destroys them and their relationships and brings everything crashing down. The construction of this book is just so masterfully done.

4. The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin

I devoured the last ¾ of this book, which was such a satisfying surprise after I slogged through the first 80 pages. This story has multiple narrators, and I didn’t care for the first one, but I loved everyone else’s voice and their stubborn, strong, flawed personalities. One of the many things I love about Jemisin is that she writes women, older women, and mothers so damn well, in a genre that rarely bothers to tell stories outside of a young, white lens. She also made me visualize abstract multidimensional entities with ease, and she even made me feel some vicarious affection for an ugly city I loathe. She’s a wizard. I loved it.

3. The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

A savage, near-perfect book taking on the concepts of motherhood, monstrosity, and story-telling with a highly original concept in a lovely literary prose style. It tells the story of a woman made monstrous by motherhood, and the questions it asks about goodness, complicity, the nature of love, the value of a life, and the wielding of power are complex and juicy. I think it’s the perfect book for the legions complaining that “strong female characters” are all just #girlbosses and that lesbians never get to be fucked up and messy.

2. Fitz and the Fool by Robin Hobb

Yes, this is another trilogy, but specifically Fool’s Assassin and the last 50% of Assassin’s Fate. The first book in this trilogy is so slow and domestic (but still heartbreaking! don’t worry!), but still totally immersive. I’ve realized I’m really drawn to the point in a long-running series when an author writes a slower-paced book focused on the everyday lives and relationships of characters we’ve come to know and love, and Fool’s Assassin is a perfect example. On the other hand, I also enjoy epic quests and constant peril, and the way those characters we know and love can be irretrievably broken by forces outside their control! And the ending! The ending! I sobbed for half an hour straight reading it! What an ending. That is how you write an ending.

1. Liveship Traders series by Robin Hobb

Is it cheating to list three books as your favorite book of the year? Not if it’s the Liveship Traders trilogy, because in my mind this is one long, unbroken story that happens to be split into three print volumes. I inhaled all three books one after another as fast as I could, and for the most part, I truly could not tell you what happens in one vs. another. The characters, the setting, the plot, the themes—everything is developed so richly, with such care, and everything feels real. Hobb is a master at balancing almost a dozen different perspectives while making every character’s motivations complex and believable. Even the villains are understandable, if not excusable, and not leering caricatures. Everything about the world feels magical and wondrous, and I truly couldn’t put it down. I read 800 page Ship of Destiny in 5 days. These books have set the bar so high I can barely see it anymore. If you like character-driven epic fantasy, multiple POV stories, dragons, or pirates, I can’t recommend these highly enough.

[quoteablebooks]

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Rating: 4 out of 5

Content Warning: Death, Car accident, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Stalking

Summary:

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

*Opinions*

I was worried that the second book of this series would disappoint, especially because it was obvious that the love triangle was going to be a main focus of the novel, but I was pleasantly surprised by how everything happened in this novel. The love triangle was handled with care and the theme of grief and loss was beautifully handled throughout the novel. This isn’t a perfect novel, but it is a series I probably would have been obsessed with as a teenager and as an adult, I am enjoying my time with these characters.

Clara is a well-written teenager. Hand strikes a good balance between Clara being a teenage girl and acting like one while also making her a likable main character that you don’t mind following in this story. She is trying so hard to do the right thing while still being true to her heart while she has a divine purpose because of her angelic blood. Clara attempts to be courteous to everyone, but it makes sense when she realizes that her mother has been lying to her and is frustrated that she has to choose between Tucker and Christian. She is frustrated that her whole life seems planned for her and she has no say because of her angelic purpose. I think that her grief was wonderfully portrayed throughout the novel and the last couple of chapters were very emotional. While there are times that Clara can be ridiculous, she is also seventeen years old and under a lot of emotional distress, so it makes sense.

Hand does a good job of not making Christian or Tucker the bad guy in this love triangle, just providing something to both the angelic and human sides of Clara. Tucker treated her as a normal person and made her feel like a normal high school student when she needed it. All Clara wanted in the first novel was to feel that way and not be driven by her divine purpose. Tucker took everything in stride that she told him about being an angel, but he also couldn’t understand what it was like her for to deal with that side of her life. She makes him physically ill when she is using those powers and she puts Tucker in danger when she is with him. Meanwhile, Christian, while a little pushy in the first book, just wants to be present and a helpful friend for most of this novel. While he does cross a line further in the novel, stating that his purpose is the reason, Clara doesn’t blame him because she has feelings for him as well. There is some tension between Christian and Tucker, but that isn’t the focus of the novel, it is Clara deciding who she is going to be with between these two men, which I didn’t mind at all.

I was annoyed with Jeffery for most of this novel, but then bad for him when the reason for his behavior is revealed. I can’t really get into it without spoilers, but as much as I understand why upset and betrayed he feels, he never once talked about his purpose with Clara. True, she was very wrapped up in her own life during that part of the first novel, but Clara kept going over her purpose with her mother and Jeffery constantly, why didn’t he do the same? If he had, literally none of the issues that have arisen would have happened. Again, while this would be easily fixed in Clara’s point of view, we aren’t in Jeffery’s head to know his thought process. Either way, Hand dealt with that reveal well.

The main plot of this novel revolves around family drama that isn’t revealed until later in the novel, but it is managed well. While the macro plot really didn’t move forward all that much, I never found myself bored or annoyed. That is probably because I am a character-driven girl, but also because Hand set up enough plot in the first novel that I didn’t mind spending more time with the characters in this world, before propelling forward again. If you are a plot-driven reader, you probably find this novel painful, but I enjoyed it.

Overall, a good sequel that lets the reader get a better look into the personalities of Clara, Jeffery, Tucker, and Christian. I am interested to see how this series is going to wrap up, but I know the next novel takes place in Italy and focuses on both Angela and Clara so I am not sure if the macro plot will progress much. I am giving this novel a 4-star. Perhaps because I just read a novel that dealt with the same themes so poorly, but I really enjoyed my time with his novel.

[monopoly-mountain-requests]

You look at the page title “what’s for sale.” Oddly, there doesn’t seem to be any prices listed. Looks like everything here is free!

WHAT’S FOR SALE?

Ooh, you’re interested in buying? Well, lucky for you, we’ve got lots of products for your kinning and fictive needs! And even more lucky: it’s all for free! All we ask is a simple please and thank you when requesting, and to be patient! We’re both just people, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed, so please be patient, especially with requests that might take a while!

Both of us will take some requests, but we also have specials! If you’re requesting something from a specific mod, make sure it’s for a source that that mod will take!

For all items, please specify preferences or things you would prefer we avoid!! (Ex: textures, colors, activities)

Both Mods’

Self care kits (OPEN)(but add detail if we don’t know your source)

Self care kits are comprised of 8 items designed to bring comfort! These can be toys, sensory items, and various other things!

Mood boards (OPEN)

Moodboards will feature 9 images regarding the kin/alter you request them for. Quotes, landscapes, and, most importantly, source relevant material, will be included!

Activity kits (OPEN)

Activity kits comprise of 3-5 activities that fit your source!! These will be rather selective, so please be patient with us!

Recipe kits (WHITELIST ONLY)

5 recipes relevant to your source!! Please specify tastes and textures that you would rather avoid! And as a bonus, tell us what you like! (Mod Scar- I really really love these, so don’t feel shy sending them in!)

YouTube playlists (OPEN)

YouTube playlists feature 5 videos relevant to your source!! If you have a shorter attention span, please let us know, so we can accommodate!

House decor kits (OPEN)

House decor kits include 5-8 items for your home based on your source!! Hopefully, you can stay cozy with these items!!

Book requests (OPEN)

Book requests include 4-6 book requests based off of your source/your likes! Please provide lots of information and examples of what you like to read. Also include age range (children’s, middle grade, young adult, adult, etc), genre (fantasy, mystery, horror, romance, etc), book type (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, coloring/activity). We will provide a list of books and links to buy books from an indie bookstore.

Pattern Kits (OPEN)

Pattern kits include 5-8 sewing, crochet, or knitting patterns related to you/your source! Please specify what kind of craft you’d like to do (knitting, sewing, crochet) your skill level (specifically whether or not you’re a beginner), and whether you want free or paid patterns (or a mix of both).

Canon Calls (OPEN)

Send us an ask looking for others from your source! Hopefully, other viewers of our blog will see your call and respond! We hope you find your someone(s)!

Mod Grian’s

Pronoun and names (WHITELIST ONLY)

A list of names/name ideas with meanings/vibe related to your source! Pronouns will be neopronouns also related to the source!

Doodles (WHITELIST ONLY)

A little doodle of you/something from your source! My art isn’t the best but I love doodling, so I’d love to do these for sources I know well!

Fashion Kits (OPEN) (but please provide lots of info about what you want if I don’t know your source)

Please specify styles, gender presentation, and your budget for these outfits! Also, if there’s specific websites you don’t want clothing from (such as fast fashion websites, etc), specify that as well! Additionally, if you’re interested in more sustainable secondhand clothing, please specify your clothing size(s) so I can find secondhand clothes that work!

Mod Scar’s

Music playlists (WHITELIST ONLY, SELECTIVE) (but I really love making them, so feel free to request!!)

These will often be 5-10 songs on Spotify, but if you prefer YouTube, let me know!! (I also may go over, if I find myself really enjoying a source… you have been warned >:])

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[nuclear-americano]

at what age do I let the Eldritch horrors date my dnd campaign?

so, in lots of fantasy especially, there are demons, gods, aliens, cursed beings, etc. who live forever or for super long timespans, and they occasionally romance mortals.

At what age does that start being okay? (Assuming both parties are 18+)

Because if they’re similar ages then sure, if they’re like 10000 and young adult then sure, but like a 65 year old immortal creature would been seen as weird for hitting on a younger human.

where’s the cutoff?

[postguiltypleasures]

My Peak TV Journey *Locke & Key*

I am a fan of the comic books ok on which the tv series is based, so I had been waiting for the series for a while. But then I took a while to actually watch it, because the amount of tv out there and the amount I’m already watching is intimidating. I didn’t watch the first season until the second was out and then I took my time getting to the third. This reflects my television viewing habits more than my feelings about the show. I think it’s really good. I would like more, but also think it’s for the best that it wrapped up before they had to deal with the young cast really aging. After all, the comic on which it’s based ran for years, (not including one off spin off stories), all took place within a year. 

It treads a lot of similar territory to Stranger Things, and  over the long run works better in pacing, use of the ensemble, and making sure that episodes feel like episodes. But I understand why it didn’t have a similar break out success. For starters, it’s later, so people are primed to dismiss it as derivative. Second, Stranger Things had a much stronger opening batch of episodes. The first half of the first season of Locke & Key struggled with tone balancing. The lead character are all experiencing grief over the father’s recent murder.  But then there is the excitement of discovering the magic keys. The worst of this fell on the youngest Locke child character, Bode. (I hate to be annoyed by child acting.) This struggle between necessary plot points and getting the right tone was also an issue with the first season of Bates Motel (name checked in the series) which was all co-developed for television by Carlton Cuse. As with Bates Motel, once Locke & Key has set enough ground work to get really crazy, it takes off.

The series is very lore centric. Lots of exposition in the dialogue about what makes the keys, what each one can individually do and the history of the family that made them. The second season is the best because they had gotten enough of the exposition out of the way so that the characters could breathe, and nothing new had to be introduced to help wrap things up. 

I do generally really like the Locke family, especially the teens, Tyler and Kinsey. I liked both of Tyler’s romances, which is rare on this type of series. He’s a warm enough character that even when he’s acting out you can’t really be annoyed with him. But the star of the family is really middle child and only girl, Kinsey. Part of me wonders if she didn’t become the star because the actress, Emilia Jones, also starred in the Oscar winning film Coda. But even without that she’s the most interesting of the Locke kids. She messes up her grief by physically removing the part of her that fears, but then gets deeply involved with horror fan community/amateur film making crew who call themselves the Savinis (afterfamed horror make up artist, Tom Savini, who also has a small role in the series as a locksmith).

I mostly enjoyed the Savinis and the film series, Splattering. Unfortunately only the least interesting members were around for the final season, but at least that meant Kinsey wasn’t lonely.

I want to take a moment to write about Darby Stachfield as the mother, Nina. I always enjoy her presence and I think she did a good job with plots about her alcoholism and moving on from her husband’s violent death. She had a good chemistry with the actors playing her children. I think she seemed a little awkward when she knew about the magic of the keys, but mostly stay happy to see her. The series primarily uses fantasy tropes to explore children learning about their parents' trauma and difficulties while developing their own more adult bonds to each other. It needs some strong parental figures to work, and Stachfield, as well as Aaron Ashford as an uncle who can answer some questions, provided that.

In fact I just enjoyed the time with most of the characters. One of my biggest complaints about the series is that they killed off Eden at the end of the second season. I wanted to see her either get redeemed or become the biggest bad.

I’m not going to complain about things like the town’s public school having a dormitory presumably for plot and budget reasons (not having to build too many sets, not having to cast parents, keeping kids reliant on already introduced characters). It’s a fantasy, and I’m happy for a fantasy with better functioning public schools than in the real world. 

[msotherworldly]

Writing Relationships

In my last writing advice post, I discussed how to create a subtle, but compelling, villain for a whodunit story. Though whodunnits are applied most to mysteries, they can feature in many genres. The topic of this post can, likewise, feature in multiple genres, despite having a whole genre dedicated to it - romance.

Even if you don’t plan to be the next Jane Austen, those tackling genres like fantasy, science fiction, or even horror can benefit from knowing how to write romantic plot lines which are both believable and exciting. How much romance you include comes down to your preferences as an author. Both Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are fantasy series which include romance, but Buffy in particular focuses on it (in fact, if you're writing a story for young adults or new adults, an emphasis on romance is recommended). 

The first rule to keep in mind when writing a romantic plot line is that there should be tension in the relationship. The characters involved should argue with one another; they should have differing opinions on varying matters; and they should experience the occasional falling outs. Such tensions can be highlighted especially at the start of the relationship, such as in an enemies to lovers story. If characters are nothing but cordial to one another, the relationship will feel flat (though there's a difference between characters disagreeing with one another, and one character being abusive towards his or her partner). 

The second rule is that characters should make mistakes, and then grow from them. A character might lie to her partner about what she’s doing. She might embarrass her partner at a party. She might fail to defend her partner from a vicious mother in law. In extreme cases, a character may even cheat on their partner. Whether the relationship recovers from something as drastic as cheating or not is up to the writer, though there should always be repercussions for characters who make especially bad mistakes. They should be called out for their behaviour and, if the relationship is salvaged, they should not only apologize, but grow as a person.

Thirdly, not all relationships should succeed. If you're writing a series, a character might cycle through three different relationships. Love triangles are a classic trope, where characters are forced to choose between two desirable partners, though relationships might also occur independently of one another, featuring their own ups and downs without outside interference. Characters might even break up for a lengthy period of time, date others, and then return to each other again. They may need space before they can give a relationship another chance. 

Relationships can end because of something as benign as characters lacking common interests, and as extreme as one partner having an affair. Having characters break up and date multiple partners over time not only makes your story less predictable, but more realistic. After all, it's rare for two people to meet in school, fall in love, and then never date anyone else. Even Harry Potter has its characters play the field before ending up with their ultimate significant others (Ron dates Lavender, Harry dates Cho, Hermione attends the Yule Ball with Krum, and Ginny dates a series of boys). 

In cases where one partner feels betrayed, redemption arcs can be used to redeem a relationship that might have failed. After fighting, the characters could experience a near death experience together; after betraying their partner, the other might atone by saving the other’s life; a character could rescue their ex from a life threatening situation; and someone who has lied to their partner could confess to their own insecurities and apologize. A character shouldn't just be forgiven. Something dramatic should happen to raise the possibility of a character being forgiven - one should save the other, or both characters should be thrust into a dangerous situation where they are forced to rely on one another. 

Characters might also talk out their issues to reconcile, but a happy relationship shouldn't come from one conversation. There should be several hard conversations before a relationship is restored; there may even be a few arguments before the characters can handle a few clipped conversations, and from there the heavy discussions where they consider giving it another go. This route is slower and less action packed, but a slow burn could be equally compelling (and more realistic) than a union saved by fighting zombies. (Having people make up as a result of a surprise zombie attack isn't necessarily bad; the route you choose will depend on not only your writing style, but the personality of your characters).

Yet another rule to keep in mind is that relationships shouldn't be toxic - there might be unhealthy aspects in a relationship that two people work through at first, and characters should make mistakes, but if a story features one partner being beaten by the other the relationship should end eventually (if you're writing a thriller, a horror story, or a dark fantasy, you may even have one character, after having endured so much abuse, kill the other).

If you're one of those sadistic writers who enjoys nurturing the hearts of your readers, and then stomping them into mulch, tragic deaths are also on the table. If one partner in a thriving relationship is killed, readers will feel the loss. Bonus points to you if the two lovebirds have just reconciled following a rough patch. If your characters finally get together again after a bad break up and are doing well, proceeding to kill one will leave the reader feeling all kinds of emotions. One shouldn't go killing characters at every turn; that would be depressing. However, if there are three or four relationships happening during a series and life threatening situations are typical, it might not be realistic for every single character to have a happily ever after. (If you're determined to be the next George R. R. Martin, then, by all means, let the deaths commence; just be sure your readers are invested in the relationships before you bring down the ax).

Finally, relationships should be happy. This isn't to say they have to be happy forever (especially if the characters eventually break up), but there should be a high point in the relationship. Readers should understand why the two characters are together. The couple should have shared hobbies; they should trust each other; they should regularly do activities together, like go bowling or hit the bar. While tension in relationships is vital, a relationship that is all argument and no fun isn't a relationship. Even if your couple bickers, they should also have cute moments where they hold each other, giggle over shared jokes, or ruffle each other’s hair. Let their actual friendship show through. After writing arguments between the pair, be sure to include “aww” inducing moments.

There are any number of tips I could give; while this isn't an exhaustive list for crafting enjoyable, and realistic, romantic pairings, keeping these tips in mind can help your romances to remain interesting, healthy, and believable. Partners should make mistakes, and then own up to them; characters should have other partners before settling with the one; those who mess up should redeem themselves, and find forgiveness through either dramatic action or hard conversations; and couples should have a friendship, laugh together, and otherwise be adorable on occasion. 

Whether you write regency romance, or stories where people date vampires and elves, knowing how to write an intriguing romance can elevate your story. It's not enough to have kissing and passion - relationships, at least well written ones, are more than that.

[carriagelamp]

April l was apparently the month for me to revisit some children’s authors who are steeped in controversy at the moment. So here’s my hot (well, lukewarm) takes on issues that absolutely do not need a single other person talking about them. Also some actual good books that I read this month!

Badger in the Basement

The Animal Ark books are a childhood classic — though I recently found out that apparently there’s a difference between American and British publications, and the American versions didn’t include a lot of actual COOL animals which is… bizarre. As a Canadian stuck in the middle of this, this nonsense drives me nuts. This one was about the main character, the daughter of pair of vets, trying to protect a local badger sett from men wanting to participate in badger digging and baiting. These books are always feel-good, and it was a nice single-day-read while I waited for a library book to come in.

Chi’s Sweet Home

The cutest manga series about the misadventures of a little kitten, Chi, who has been adopted by a loving family. I’ve never bothered to read them in order, but apparently this time I stumbled across the last in the series -- whoops! Still, stood on it’s own pretty easily, and it was a fun read! Things get tense when the family realize that they may have found Chi’s original home… and may have to give up Chi forever.

Earth Before Us: Dinosaur Empire!

This was an odd graphic novel, I feel like I’m not sure who the target audience was exactly. It was a nonfiction comic done in a Magic School Bus style, with the purpose of teaching current, up-to-date facts about the animals that lived in the Mesozoic Era. If you’re into dinosaurs, you’ll probably enjoy this! The art is absolutely adorable, I love the dinosaur illustrations, and I learnt some really neat facts. That being said, the pages are really dense, and there’s a lot of info crammed in��� some of it will probably go way over a child’s head without specific additional teaching or a very strong personal interest. But that being said, a dinosaur obsessed kid is still probably going to really dig this… as would a dinosaur obsessed adult. It wasn’t my cup of tea exactly but I’m sure it is someone’s.

assorted Dr Seuss Books

I love these types of controversies because it means getting to listen to every moron who has never had an opinion on Dr Seuss ever start generating a mile of them out of the aether. So many people are so mad about the six books that are getting retired and I bet most of them haven’t even read them. These are not the friggin Cat In The Hat or The Lorax or even the likes of Yertle The Turtle. I was raised by a grade one teacher, was a voracious reader who loved Dr Seuss, and wrote my university thesis on children’s literature, and I still only knew two of the six books on that list. So by all means, if you want to write an essay explaining why those specific books are worth clinging to, feel free, but if you haven’t even heard of them maybe it’s not a big deal. *grumble*

Anyway, my grousing aside, it gave me the urge to reread a bunch of Seuss books, including the two retiring books I personally knew: McElligot’s Pool and To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street. I do still enjoy both, especially McElligot’s Pool which always sparked my imagination, but it’s obvious why they’re being retired and I personally think it’s the right choice. There’s so much good kidlit out there, we can survive without these.

Goodbye, My Rose Garden

A f/f romance manga, fairly standard fair though cute if you’re looking for some historical angst, pretty dresses, and mutual pining. A young Japanese woman moves to England in the hopes of meeting a writer (Mr Frank) who she has long admired. Along the way she is employed by an enigmatic woman with plenty of money, rumours, and melancholy following her. I’ll be honest, uncut romance isn’t really my genre, but I’ll probably still try to the second book to see if the story picks up.

From The Holocaust to Hogan’s Heroes: The Autobiography of Robert Clary

It’s no secret that I’ve been on a Hogan’s Heroes kick. This is the autobiography of Roberty Clary, who plays my favourite character in the show, Louis Lebeau. And holy shit what a life this man has had. He was a Jew growing up in France before the start of the war, and who was one of many children taken away from his family and sent off to the concentration camps in Germany. This was an amazing, intense, inspiring, and heartbreaking read… it has Clary’s voice all over it, and it tells everything from the charming childhood he had, to the horrors of the concentration camps, the brutality of survival, and then about his exciting journey into the entertainment industry afterwards. It’s an experience, would recommend if you’re a fan of the show.

The Ickabog

The second controversial author I read this month. Originally I was going to give Rowling’s new book a miss, given everything that’s been going on over the past few years, but in the end my curiosity got the better of me. Politics aside, it was a fun read! Not groundbreaking, but enjoyable enough and written in an interesting style. It didn’t read the same as a lot of modern kidlit, it felt more like a cross between a classic fairytale and a Dahl book. Perhaps a bit like Despereaux. It tells the tale of how an idyllic country gradually falls into ruin through the ignorance, inaction, and greed, and how a supposedly fictional monster hides the very real, human monsters at the heart of the country. It was cute and pleasant and I’m glad I decided to get it from the library, though for anyone who is choosing not to engage for political reasons: you aren’t missing anything major.

Franklin In The Dark

A Canadian classic. I don’t think there’s a single person my age who hasn’t read or been read a pile of these books, and the nostalgia is so comforting. I found this on Youtube and listened to someone read it to me, and honestly 10/10 would recommend for a calm evening.

The big reason I decided to seek this one out though, was because I finally got to the M*A*S*H episode that inspired this entire series! In the episode C*A*V*E, in which Hawkeye is freaking out over his claustrophia while the camp is forced to take shelter in a nearby cave during some intense shelling, he mentions that if he had been born a turtle he would have been afraid of his own shell, and that the other turtles would make fun of him cause he’d be forced to walk around in his underwear. And so this first story about a young turtle who’s afraid to sleep in his own shell and drags it around behind him. So if you were ever curious, Franklin the Turtle is in fact named after Dr Benjamin Franklin Pierce. (this is also why the French version is named Benjamin!)

Wolves of the Beyond: Lone Wolf

I loved the Guardians of Ga’Hoole books as a kid but I never read the Wolves of the Beyond series. This first book was an interesting read, Lasky does a great job creating worlds and societies for the animals that inhabit them. Lone Wolf is about a deformed wolf cub who was abandoned in the wilderness to die. And he would have, if a desperate mother bear, who had recently had her only cub killed, hadn’t stumbled across him and saved him, vowing to raise him as her own...

Petals

A “silent” graphic novel. It has beautiful artwork and is told entirely through pictures, no text at all. It’s loves and heart-wrenching, though it left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied… I felt like there should have been more. Still, a neat story.

The Southern Book Club‘s Guide To Slaying Vampires

What a banger of a novel!! I can’t recommend this one enough. It’s about a group of suburban mothers in the ‘80s who form a book club out of a shared need for community and a love of grisly true crime novels. But when a strange drifter appears in town and starts setting down roots… and when children begin disappearing… these women need to band together to confront the horrors that have invaded their neighbourhood, and face down not only a terrifying monster among them but the patriarchal system that allows it to flourish. To quote the preface:

“Because vampires are the original serial killers, stripped of everything that makes us human — they have no friends, no family, no roots, no children. All they have is hunger. They eat and eat but they’re never full. With this book, I wanted to pit a man freed from all responsibilities but his appetites against women whose lives are shaped by their endless responsibilities. I wanted to pit Dracula against my mom.    As you’ll see, it’s not a fair fight.“

The Weirn Books: Be Wary of the Silent Woods

I love Chmakova’s graphic novels, though I’ve only ever read her slice-of-life middle grade series before. This one is pure fantasy and very fun. It’s about two cousin “weirns” — witches with demon familiars — who attend the local night school. Things get strange though when an ominous figure appears outside the old, abandoned school house deep in the Silent Woods, and begins tempting children down its path…

I’m very much looking forward to word of a second book and was honestly kind of surprised that I haven’t heard more about this book given how popular her other series is. This has all the same charm and quirks but for those of us who prefer stories based in fantasy rather than reality.

And A Bonus...

For some masochistic reason I got a Garfield book out of the library. Jeez, if I didn’t love these as a kid, I found them absolutely laugh out loud hilarious, and now I just don’t see it anymore. But here I will share the one strip in the book that actually made me laugh

[jeannereames]

What Genre IS Dancing with the Lion?

(N.B.: This post should not make anyone feel guilty for mislabeling the novels; I’m posting it because there seems to be some confusion.)

One of the most important parts of selling a book is getting it into the right hands: that is, to the readers most likely to enjoy it. And that involves labeling it correctly.

If you picked up Dancing with the Lion because you’re a fan of Alexander the Great or ancient Greece, the book’s genre probably matters little. I’ve read novels about Alexander in everything from lit mainstream to SFF to mystery to old-school Romance.

Yet such readers are a fraction of potential readership. For those with no particular inclination to a book about Alexander the Great, naming the genre matters. Will it meet reader expectations and appeal, or frustrate and annoy? That’s why authors worry about genre labels.

So, to answer the question: Dancing with the Lion is a mainstream historical coming-of-age novel with touches of magical realism and queer themes.

Below, I’ll explain in brief why it’s some labels and not others. But I want to stress that getting a book correctly labeled is NOT a diss at genres it isn’t. Again, it’s about getting it into the right hands so readers like it instead of hate it.

Novel: At root, two basic story types exist—those that focus on plot (romance, small /r/ = adventure story) and those that focus on characters (novel). I write both, incidentally; my current WIP is an historical fantasy adventure series. But DwtL is a novel. Characterization IS the plot, rather than characters moving the plot along.

Mainstream: Just means the book doesn’t fit into the plot conventions of commercial genre fiction. Saying something is “mainstream” therefore says mostly what it is not: not mystery, not horror, not Romance, not fantasy, etc. Some folks will subdivide it further into “literary” mainstream versus commercial mainstream with the distinction that the latter sells better and/or the former is more artsy.

Historical: A subcategory of several genres, including mainstream. Readers of historicals tolerate more historical detail and unusual names, although genre historicals can alter that. Too much historical detail in an historical Romance that slows down the love story can get an author in trouble. Mainstream historicals may include glossaries, character stemma, timelines of historical events, or other reader guides. Afficionados of historical novels are reading for that detail, not in spite of it.

Coming-of-Age: as the name suggests, this very old story archetype is all about the characters growing up. In DwtL, three characters have coming-of-age arcs: Alexandros, Hephaistion, and Kleopatra.

Magical Realism: Unlike genre fantasy, magical realism combines realistic/non-magical elements with supernatural ones. They also take place in this world, not a different fantasy world in which magic works. Yet the line between historical fantasy and historical magical realism can be fine because, in the past, people did assume magic worked, and the better authors of historical fantasy employ magical systems appropriate to that place and time. The biggest difference is that magical realism is subtler, and the supernatural elements may not be perceived by all, or even most characters. (So while Alexandros sees Dionysos, no one else does.)

Queer Themes: This is more than just Alexandros and Hephaistion as lovers. Especially in Rise, one sub-plot for Hephaistion’s coming-of-age is his own growing awareness that the way he experiences desire does not conform to the expectations of his society. He is what we, in the modern world, would call gay. I wanted to explore how it might feel for someone to be gay in a world that doesn’t have that label, and which might, on the face of it, seem more accepting…but really isn’t.

Now, for the genres it’s not, and why:

Not Romance: Capital /R/, Romance the genre has fairly locked-in plot arc expectations. The Hero and Hero (if it’s m/m) meet, go through trials and tribulations, then finally hook up in some sort of permanent way to live happily-ever-after (HEA) or at least happily-for-now (HFN). The focus of the novel must remain firmly on the Hero and Hero and their relationship. Other relationships and events should serve to frame the main one, never distract from it.

DwtL: Becoming simulates some of those things. The book does begin when the boys meet, and they go through a friends-to-more plot arc, but there’s too much Other Stuff, and in Rise, the story just keeps going even after they get together. Furthermore, Rise is not a Romance plot arc, even loosely. It’s all about Alexandros and Hephaistion entering the adult world of politics and war, and the larger theme (of the whole series, not just these books) asks what it means to be a moral/ethical sovereign?

Not YA (Young Adult): Although YA novels should have an adolescent protagonist and will often be a coming-of-age story, not all novels with an adolescent protagonist or coming-of-age story are YA. So what’s the difference? The themes and the language employed.

The plot of YA should focus on things important to that age group (13-18), not necessarily what could equally matter to someone in their 50s. That doesn’t mean adults can’t enjoy YA stories; about 55% of YA books are purchased by adults. Another aspect of YA is the vocabulary used and complexity of ideas. Sometimes adult coming-of-age stories are called more “sophisticated,” which isn’t a term I like. Intricate might be better, in characterization and theme.

Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, and J.D. Salinger’s A Catcher in the Rye are all coming-of-age novels, and some are even assigned in high school English classes. But they aren’t commercial YA in language or theme. In contrast to, say, Madeline L’Engel’s A Wrinkle in Time, Jane Yolen’s Pit Dragon trilogy, or Ursula LeGuin’s A Wizard of Earthsea. Yet I don’t think anyone would call those latter three “unsophisticated.”

In short, a teen protagonist and/or coming-of-age story does not qualify a book as YA.

Finally, most YA treats sex gingerly as they must be appropriate for readers as young as 13, 14, 15. They may have some romance or none at all, and they may have elided sexual situations light on description. It shouldn’t be shocking, but age-appropriate to adolescent curiosity about sex. (By contrast, the category of New Adult [18-25 readership] may have quite a lot of graphic sex in it, although in other ways NA resembles YA.)

When I wrote Dancing with the Lion, despite the age of the main protagonists, I made no attempt to moderate the language. There are also POV scenes from adults, and three of the chief thematic concerns—what does it mean to be a moral king [Alex], how does one support the powerful without losing one’s self in the process [Hephaistion], and how to exercise personal agency when one has none legally [Kleopatra]—are themes that can apply to any age group. Last, the sex scenes have no stop on them. If two are over fairly quickly with general/poetic description, the third is graphic because it needs to be as what they are doing matters very much to Hephaistion’s character arc. There is also reference to the rape of women and children in war; only the aftermath is shown, but still. While I realize emotional maturity can vary wildly, I wouldn’t recommend the second novel for readers under 15/16. (I told my niece not to let my great-niece read it yet.)

That’s why I’m concerned about Dancing with the Lion being labeled YA. An unsuspecting parent might buy it for their early teen child, only for that child to get a textual eyeful in book 2!

Also, readers who pick it up thinking it’s ___, get angry when it’s not. E.g., in an otherwise fairly positive review, at least one reader wrote:

“Because the western spellings/pronunciation are so ingrained using the stranger sounding Greek slows the pace even further and seems to over complicate things merely for the sake of it. This is clearly aimed at a YA audience and so I find the choice doubly baffling - Because you want to encourage teens reading not put them off by making this harder than it needs to be.”

But it’s not YA, was never meant to be YA, nor marketed or labeled as YA on the cover. Apparently, some folks on Goodreads labeled it that in their tags, so now “Young Adult” shows up as one of its genres…and I can’t get rid of it because I don’t set those tags (nor does my publisher).

In the above case, the reader mostly enjoyed it, but her perceptions affected how she reviewed it. Authors can’t always control those perceptions and expectations, but as we really do want readers to like the book (not feel deceived), we endeavor to use the right labels on them.

[nothingisliteral]

Literary Agents Accepting Queries 2020

A note; these agents are according to my research as of June 12, 2020. To find more information on these agents, just look up their name and agency. How to query to these agents differ, so it would be wise to look into them more. Bolded is the categories, genres, and/or tropes that said agent is interested in. This list was put together by me, and it was only the agents who’s name start with A. Even though this is labeled as YA, many of these agents are interested in other genres.

* Adria Goetz (Martin Literary Management), Mill Creek, WA General fiction Suspense/thriller Fantasy/science fiction Juvenile fiction Religious

* Adriann Ranta Zurhellen (Foundry Literary + Media), New York, NY all genres and for all age groups, but has a penchant for edgy, dark, unusual voices, unique settings, and everyman stories told with a new spin. She loves gritty, realistic, true-to-life narratives with conflicts based in the real world; women’s fiction and nonfiction; accessible, pop nonfiction in science, history, and craft; and smart, fresh, genre-bending works for children.

* Adrienne Rosado (Stonesong Literary Agency), New York, NY adult and children’s fiction, as well as select non-fiction in the areas of pop-science, business, memoir, and humor. In both adult and children’s fiction, she is looking for contemporary, mystery, historical, thriller, fantasy, and anything with a wickedly dark sense of humor. She’s especially drawn to multicultural fiction, lgbtq+ works, and stories about people from atypical walks of life. She is not currently looking for poetry or children’s picture books.

* Agnes Carlowicz (Carol Mann Agency), New York, NY both fiction and non-fiction, with a special passion for literature that amplifies underrepresented voices and subverts the status quo. Among others, she enjoys: intersectional feminism, millennial self-care, female-driven memoir, true-crime, and humorous pop culture.

* Aimee Ashcraft (Brower Literary & Management), New York, NY busy seeking out stories that feature all-encompassing worlds and compelling female characters. She loves books that are told from an original point of view and are more addictive than a good Netflix binge

* Albert Longden (Albert T. Longden Agency), Bloomfield, NJ (AAR Member) General fiction, Mystery, Romance, Suspense/thriller, Fantasy/science fiction, Biography, Business/investing/finance, Sports, Paranormal (want writers that are preferably experienced and are willing to listen to productive critiques of their work)

* Albert Zuckerman (Writers House), New York, NY books in all adult categories, fiction and non-fiction. And lately I’ve been enjoying working with some YA and Middle Grade authors. I'm interested in working with a few more novelists, literary and commercial

* Alec Shane (Writers House), New York, NY mystery, thrillers (though he’s experiencing terrorist fatigue at the moment), suspense, horror, historical fiction, literary fiction, and middle grade and young adult fiction. He DOESNT want Romance, straight sci-fi, high fantasy, picture books, self-help, women’s fiction, food, or travel memoir.

* Alex Glass (Glass Literary Management), New York, NY General fiction, Mystery, Suspense/thriller, Juvenile fiction, Biography, History, Mind/body/spirit, Health, Lifestyle, Cookbooks, Sports, Literary fiction, Memoir, Narrative nonfiction, Pop culture

* Alexa Stark (Trident Media Group), New York, NY drawn to literary debuts with a unique voice and perspective, stories about dysfunctional friendships and families, edgy coming-of-age tales, character-driven suspense and thrillers, and fiction that delves into the surreal

* Alexandra Levick (Writers House), New York, NY Picture book author-illustrators, a wide range of middle grade and YA, and more speculative-leaning or genre-bent upmarket adult works. I’m committed to working with writers from diverse backgrounds and am looking to put forth a list of outstanding creators who will be able to provide windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors (thank you, Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop) into all kinds of experiences. I’m particularly looking for own-voices stories about historically underrepresented characters, identities, and cultures.

* Alexandra Machinist (International Creative Management), New York, NY Commercial fiction Literary fiction Upmarket women's fiction Historical fiction Suspense Fantasy Young adult Middle grade

* Alexandra Penfold (Upstart Crow Literary), New York, NY specializes in young picture books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult

* Alexandra Weiss (Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency), New York, NY contemporary, magical realism, and light SFF. I’d also like to see more rom-coms that make my heart feel warm. dedicated to representing marginalized creators and diverse books, including #ownvoices. I’m actively seeking LGBTQIA+, POC, gender fluid, neurodiverse, and disabled voices for all age ranges and across all genres.

* Alexis Hurley (InkWell Management), New York, NY domestic works in the areas of literary and commercial fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction and more

* Ali Herring (Spencerhill Associates), Lakewood Ranch, FL I’m open to all YA: Contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi, speculative, horror, romance, issue books (though I have a few already on my list so not my top choice), etc. All the contemporary fantasy right now. Contemporary with a speculative element YA suspense/thrillers All the horror right now, or horror-bordering Anything with an edge Fun teen romance like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Vibrant Teen rom-coms Dystopian or failing Utopia/Utopian worlds (fresh government or control system in place or none at all) Near-future dystopian where the world is not cleaned up and pretty. I want a sense of the horror but without tons of gore. Bold unexplored settings

* Alice Martell (The Martell Agency), New York, NY Open to all/most Genres Excluding: Fantasy, Science Fiction.

* Alice Speilburg (Speilburg Literary Agency), Louisville, KY In YA Fiction, I'm looking for diverse retellings of classic stories, stories rooted in mythology, contemporary fantasy with magical/supernatural worlds alongside our own (but not necessarily "urban," rural & suburban magical systems could be nice). Across the board, I'm looking for an inclusive cast of characters, across gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, and mental health spectrums.

* Alice Tasman (Jean Naggar Literary Agency), New York, NY Alice's fiction tastes, for young adult and adult books, ranging from commercial, literary fiction and history to thrillers and suspense, and women's fiction.

* Alicia Brooks (Jean Naggar Literary Agency), New York, NY she is looking for Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Self-Help, Pop Culture, Literary Fiction, Commercial Fiction, YA Fiction, Mystery/Crime, and Historical Fiction

* Alison Picard (Alison J. Picard Agency), Cotuit, MA Adult fiction and non-fiction, children's and young adult NO: short stories, poetry, plays, screenplays or sci-fi/fantasy.

* Allison Hunter (Janklow & Nesbit Associates), New York, NY literary and commercial fiction, especially women's fiction, as well as memoir, narrative nonfiction, cultural studies and pop culture. She is always looking for funny female writers, great love stories, campus novels, family epics, smart beach reads and for non-fiction projects that speak to the current cultural climate

* Alyssa Jennette (Stonesong Literary Agency), New York, NY children’s and adult fiction and picture books, graphic novels, and select pop culture nonfiction. She values diversity and inclusion; in fiction she enjoys ensemble casts with distinct voices, stories about poor characters and communities, and formats that are specific to a story and give it its own context. Alyssa is particularly interested in art/art history/art conservation, archaeology, mythology, language/translation, and criminal justice reform

* Alyssa Reuben (Paradigm Literary and Talent Agency), New York, NY adult, young adult, and the occasional middle grade fiction as well as smart, platform driven, nonfiction ranging from pop-culture, lifestyle, cookbooks, and narrative to memoir. She gravitates toward voice-driven non-fiction presenting a fresh point of view and particularly loves novels with an edge or a great romance arc.

* Amanda Leuck (Spencerhill Associates), Lakewood Ranch, FL contemporary and speculative fiction that explore social issues, YA fantasy based in mythology across cultures, historical novels that spark my need to know more, characters with disability, chronic illness or mental illness - that doesn't necessarily drive the plot, #ownvoices, women and girls in STEM, romantic plots and subplots that surprise me, LGBTQIA+ characters, the intersection of science and religion, or magic and convention, where what is real is not clear, animal and ecological themes

* Amanda Rutter (Red Sofa Literary), St. Paul, MN Open to a broad Audience, including: Adults, Middle grades, Young adults. Fantasy. Science fiction.

* Amelia Appel (Triada U.S. Literary Agency), Sewickley, PA For YA, she is particularly interested in stories with a savvy protagonist and a slightly dark tone that deal with serious coming-of-age issues well.

* Amy Elizabeth Bishop (Dystel, Goderich & Bourret, LLC), New York, NY Fiction-wise, I'm interested in both upmarket and literary women’s fiction, mysteries, and fiction from diverse and underrepresented authors. I'd love more literary fiction from women of color. I'm choosy about my historical fiction, preferring it voice-driven and female-centric, focusing on the stories of those that history has largely chosen to not tell. [[A bit tuckered out from American Revolution, Civil War, WWII, and Vietnam War, so I'm not really looking in that space.]] I'm always interested in stories that are not set in Western Europe or the East/West Coast. I'd love to see more speculative fiction/light horror, though I'm not as interested in science fiction or fantasy in the adult space at this time. I'm also looking for a literary thriller/literary suspense a la THE TWELVE LIVES OF SAMUEL HAWLEY or BARBED WIRE HEART. In YA: would love a smart contemporary rom-com that isn't just boy meets girl in high school (or if it is, it has to be a seriously new story), a fascinating, creepy retelling in the vein of Carmen Maria Machado, and light horror. I'd love to find a multi-generational story and am particularly interested in the intricacies of family (and sister!!) relationships. I'm a sucker for stories that take place in closed environments (like boarding schools) and though I appreciate romantic elements, I'm also eager to see narratives where a happy ending for women isn't necessarily a relationship. #ownvoices, always, please. Anything with some serious creep to it!

* Amy Brewer (Metamorphosis Literary Agency), Kansas City, MO She’s seeking: Romances of all kinds; if your plot revolves around love or angst or both, send it to her. She is also looking for general fiction, LGBTQ+, women’s fiction, book club reads, and quirky humor.

* Amy Jameson (A+B Works), New York, NY loves children’s literature, and is actively seeking Middle Grade and Young Adult projects.

* Amy Rennert (The Amy Rennert Agency), Tiburon, CA General fiction Mystery Biography Business/investing/finance History Mind/body/spirit Health Lifestyle Sports Literary fiction Narrative non-fiction especially memoir and reportage

* Amy Stapp (Wolfson Literary Agency), New York, NY Mystery/suspense Contemporary romance Contemporary coming-of-age Historical fiction Southern Gothic

* Amy Stern (Sheldon Fogelman Agency), New York, NY Summer camps, boarding schools, reality television, kids who are in some way extraordinary, puzzles, puns. I really love stories that involve close family relationships that both enhance and complicate the protagonists' lives. I want to see more mental illness stories that aren't just about diagnosis and LGBTQIA+ stories that aren't just about coming out.

* Andrea Barzvi (Empire Literary), New York, NY General fiction Romance Suspense/thriller Juvenile fiction Biography Business/investing/finance Mind/body/spirit

* Andrea Somberg (Harvey Klinger), New York, NY Upmarket fiction (i.e., bookclub fiction) that has a twist or sheds light on an intriguing issue Novels that explore cultural heritage YA or Adult novels that are based on a true story from the 20th century YA contemporary love stories/romantic comedies Epic fantasy, especially ones set in a non-Western culture, military sf or space opera Magical realism for the adult, YA or MG market. YA and MG novels that feature diverse protagonists YA psychological thrillers MG mystery novels MG novels that are funny and are illustrated MG or YA novels that'll make me cry Nonfiction for MG or YA audiences Any novel with great characters and a compelling storyline Unique nonfiction

* Andy Ross (Andy Ross Literary Agency), Oakland, CA (AAR Member) narrative non-fiction, history, politics and current events, science, journalism, cultural subjects. We also work with literary and young adult fiction

* Angela Rinaldi (The Angela Rinaldi Literary Agency), Los Angeles, CA (AAR Member) I am actively looking for fiction commercial, literary, mainstream women’s fiction, multicultural, suspense, book club fiction – novels where the story lends itself to discussion.

* Anjali Singh (Ayesha Pande Literary), New York, NY Her interests are wide-ranging and include literary as well as popular fiction, young adult, women’s, African-American and international fiction. She is also seeking authors of nonfiction, including biography, history, popular culture, cultural commentary, and memoir. She is particularly drawn to distinctive, original voices.

* Ann Behar (Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency), New York, NY searching for wonderful children's books, from picture books to YA, ever since. I am looking for anything that is beautifully written, with a strong, distinct voice and characters that come alive on the page. Ideally, a book should grab my attention from the very beginning and hold it there, and leave me thinking about it for a few days after I am finished.

* Ann Rose (Prospect Agency), Upper Montclair, NJ YA of all genres: But especially stories that have heart and humor. I want you to transport me to new worlds--even if those "worlds" are in the middle of Iowa. But especially if its fantasy, I really want you to take me there and show me something I haven't seen before. I'd love some fantasy that's based on something other than western cultures. I'm always looking for strong character who are willing to stand up for their convictions--whether it be with their brains or their brawn. Give me fabulous friendship stories (and some no so fabulous ones). LGBTQIA+ stories!!! I'd still really love a story where two girls are running against each other for class president and then they fall in love. In both YA and MG I don't shy away from stories that deal with issues kids are dealing with today. I will say, if you are going to discuss topics like suicide make sure you've done your homework--proper language matters. I'd love to see more YA thriller--not necessarily gore but a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat, guessing until the very end. I'm still looking for my YA version of CLUE (and if it has three different endings, even better.) Which means mystery is a go for me, too. I'd love some YA that deals with toxic masculinity. A funny how to survive high school book with tips and tricks how to make the most out of your four years would be good. Show me characters who are beautifully flawed doing the wrong things for all the right reasons. Give me body positive MC's. Unique sports books--crossfit, ultimate Frisbee, rock climbing, mountain biking, roller derby, and even speed walkers. Oh, and twins - good twins, evil twins, twins that get along, twins that don't, rom-coms where twins switch places and hijinks happen... anything goes. Historicals that tackle things other than WW2--bonus points if there are badass women in in history.

* Anne Bohner (Pen and Ink Literary), New York, NY commercial women's fiction, romance, YA and popular nonfiction.

* Anne Hawkins (John Hawkins & Associates), New York, NY (AAR Member) Fiction of all sorts, non-fiction (contemporary journalism, history, biography, etc.), juveniles (although primarily young adult and middle grades, since we don´t specialize in illustrators, but having said that I should add that we represent several of the best), science-fiction and fantasy.

* Anne Tibbets (Red Sofa Literary), St. Paul, MN Right now, she's acquiring YA and Adult: Thrillers, Mysteries, Horror, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Historicals.

* Annelise Robey (Jane Rotrosen Agency), New York, NY women’s fiction, romance, historical fiction, YA, fantasy, mystery, and suspense, and is always looking for exciting new voices in fiction

* Arielle Datz (Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency), New York, NY (AAR Member) She is looking for literary and commercial fiction (mostly adult, some YA), featuring unusual stories and voices.

* Ashley Lopez (Waxman Literary Agency), New York, NY Ashley is looking for literary and young adult fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and cultural criticism. Most importantly she seeks authors with a strong point of view and an eye for language.

This is the end of my fist alphabetical list of agents accepting queries in 2020. I hope this list was helpful to you, and wish you good luck in your querying!

[grigori77]

2019 In TV - My Top 10 Shows

This past year may have sucked balls in a lot of ways, but we certainly never got short-changed when it came to our TV.  There was an absolute WEALTH of truly cracking TV around, both on regular networks and on the various on-demand platforms, and so here is my pick of the best, my absolute favourites of 2019.

10.  WATCHMEN

Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof brings us a blinding sequel to comic book legend Alan Moore’s legendary graphic novel with a delightfully trippy, ruthlessly efficient rug-puller that seems pretty tailor-made for HBO.  Old faces return in interesting ways, while there are some cracking new “masks” on offer, particularly Regina King’s Sister Night and the always-brilliant Tim Blake Nelson as morally complex antihero Looking Glass (in some ways very much the show’s own answer to Rorschach).  It never goes where you expect it to go, and refuses to give easy answers to the questions it raises, effortlessly paving the way for more next year ...

9.  THE BOYS

Amazon offers up its own edgy, thoroughly adult superhero property with this darkly funny antiheroic gem based on the cult Garth Ennis comic, expertly adapted by Supernatural creator Eric Kripke.  Karl Urban dominates as Billy Butcher, the foul-mouthed, morally bankrupt “leader” of a makeshift crew of mercenaries, hitmen and psycho killers devoted to “taking care of” superheroes when they inevitably go bad.  Season 1 ultimately serves as an origin story, showing how the team come together, laying quality groundwork for the incoming sophomore tour that promises to open the already fascinating world out significantly.

8.  PREACHER (SEASON 4)

More Garth Ennis, namely this blinder of a closing season for AMC’s consistently impressive adaptation of his best known series for Vertigo comics.  Surprisingly epic, deliciously subversive and constantly, darkly hilarious, this thoroughly non-PC series from showrunners Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen (yes! I Know!) certainly went out on a high note, providing its loyal followers with perfectly-pitched bow-outs and sometimes heartbreaking goodbyes for all its players, especially its dynamite leads, Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga and, in particular, Joe Gilgun as unapologetic bad boy vampire Cassidy.  A worthy end to one of my all-time favourite TV shows.

7.  THE WITCHER

While it’s clearly taken its look from the wildly successful video games, Netflix’s second most ambitious long-form offering of the year takes its lead from the fantasy book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski that started it all.  With its somewhat episodic set-up and decidedly twisted narrative timelines, it take a few chapters to get the hang of it, but there’s plenty to draw you in, from the exotic world-building to the frenetic action and compelling collection of richly crafted characters.  Henry Cavill is the titular hero, lovably grouchy mutant monster-hunter Geralt of Rivia, but the real scene-stealer is co-star Anya Chalotra as roguishly self-serving mage Yennefer of Vengenberg.

6.  CARNIVAL ROW

One of the year’s two big sleeper hit TV surprises for me was this inventively offbeat allegorical Amazon fantasy series from The 4400 creator René Echevarria and screenwriter Travis Beacham. Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevigne are the star-crossed lovers at the heart of this intriguingly dark and dirty murder mystery thriller set in Victorian London-esque city-state the Burgue, in which humans struggle to co-exist alongside a struggling disenfranchised underclass of fae (fairies, fawns, centaurs and the like).  The racial turmoil undertones are writ large throughout, but this is far more well-written and lavishly appointed than you might expect on first glance, and almost ridiculously addictive viewing.

5.  LOVE, DEATH + ROBOTS

My other big TV surprise was this wonderfully bizarre sci-fi anthology series of animated shorts from Netflix, mostly adapted from an eclectic selection of short stories from a wide range of top-notch literary talent including Peter F. Hamilton, John Scalzi, Marko Kloos and Alastair Reynolds (a particular favourite of mine).  As you’d expect from the brainchild of Deadpool director Tim Miller and producer David Fincher, this is edgy, leftfield stuff, frequently ultra-violent and decidedly adult, and the wildly varied nature of the material on offer makes for a decidedly uneven tone, but there are some absolute gems on offer here, my favourite being Suits, an enjoyably simple tale of salt-of-the-earth farmers on an alien world utilising clunky mech suits to protect their settlement from rampaging giant xeno-bugs.

4.  THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE

The show with the biggest cinematic wow factor in 2019 had to be this long-awaited prequel series to Jim Henson’s classic fantasy movie masterpiece, created for Netflix by, of all people, Louis Leterrier (yes, the director of The Transporter, Now You See Me and Clash of the Titans, if you can believe it). The technology may have evolved in leaps and bounds, but there’s a wonderfully old school vibe in the delightfully physical puppet effects used to bring the fantastical world of Thra and its denizens to life, so that it truly does feel like it’s based in the same world as the film.  This was EASILY the most visually arresting show of 2019, packed with exquisite character, creature and set design that perfectly complements the awesome work done by Henson and Brian Froud on the original, while the writers have created a darkly rich narrative tapestry that makes Thra seem a more dangerous place than ever.

3.  THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY

I was a HUGE fan of My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way’s magnificently oddball alternative superhero comic, so when I learned that Netflix were adapting it I was a little wary because I knew how spectacularly hard it would be for ANY showrunners to get right.  Thankfully Steve Blackman (Fargo season 2) and Jeremy Slater (The Exorcist TV series) were the right choice, because this perfectly captured the outsider nature of the characters and their endearingly dysfunctional family dynamic. Ellen Page, Tom Hopper (Black Sails, Merlin), David Castañeda and Emmy Raver-Lampman are all excellent as the more “functional” Hargreeves siblings, but the show is roundly stolen by Misfits star Robert Sheehan and Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn’s Aidan Gallagher as nihilistic clairvoyant Klaus and the old-man-in-a-child’s-body sociopath known only as Number Five. Consistently surprising and brilliantly bonkers, this was definitely the year’s most wonderfully WEIRD show.

2.  STRANGER THINGS (SEASON 3)

Writer-director duo the Duffer Brothers’ ultra-nostalgic 80s-set coming-of-age sci-fi horror series remains the undisputed jewel in Netflix’s long-form crown with this consistently top-drawer third season expertly maintaining the blockbuster-level standards we’ve come to expect.  This year the cross-dimensional shenanigans have largely been jettisoned, replaced by a gleefully nasty through-line of icky body horror that would make major influences like David Cronenberg and Stuart Gordon proud, as perennial teenage bad boy Billy Hargrove (the fantastically menacing Dacre Montgomery) becomes the leader of an army of psychic slaves under the control of the Upside Down’s monstrous Mind Flayer.  The kids are all brilliant as always, Winona Ryder and David Harbour really get to build on their strong-yet-spiky chemistry, and the show is almost effortlessly stolen by Joe Keery as one-time golden boy Steve Harrington and series-newcomer Maya Hawke as his nerdy new foil Robin Buckley, who were very nearly the cutest couple on TV in 2019.  Another gold standard season for a true gold standard show.

1.  GOOD OMENS

Sadly, legendary author Terry Pratchett died before he could see the adaptation of one of his most beloved novels (and one of my all-time literary favourites too) see the light of day, but at least his co-author Neil Gaiman was around to bring it to fruition with the aid of seasoned TV director David Mckinnon (Jekyll, Doctor Who, Sherlock), and the end result sure did him proud, perfectly capturing the deeply satirical voice and winningly anarchic, gleefully offbeat and gently subversive humour of the original novel.  David Tennant and Michael Sheen could both have been born to play Crowley and Aziraphale, the angel and demon nominally charged with watching over the young Antichrist in preparation for his role in the End Times, even though they would both much rather the world just went on quite happily the way it is, thanks very much. This is about as perfect an adaptation as you can get, the six hour-long episodes giving the surprisingly complex story time to breathe and grow organically, and the result is the most fun I spent in front of my TV this year.

[docholligay]

Doc recommends novels ask: Hi, Doc! I enjoy a fantasy realm or two, but could happily leave the romance/love triangles/etc behind. Also, it would be great to get to know a world that has real impacts and consequences for their magic system, with logical and interesting world-building included. Any recommendations of novels that might fit this description?

This is hard because I don’t generally enjoy fantasy! Which isn’t to say it’s without merit at all, it’s just not something I personally enjoy, partially due to something you bring up, which is that the magic systems are incredibly flexible to the moment, and I don’t much care for that. That and I am less of a person who enjoys building out a fantasy or sci-fi world than I am the person who wants to get into the brass tacks of what people are thinking and feeling and what is the human element of all of it? 

"I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe that good and evil are names for what people do, not for what they are."--His Dark Materials

Honestly the best fantasy series I can think of with this criteria is His Dark Materials. The fantasy is not a distraction from the story and emotions itself, any romance in the story is not something that the story needs or necessarily even wants you to give a shit about, and to some extent, I would argue that it’s there at all. It IS a YA book, which is my only stop point here, but I would argue its one of the more complexly written YA books, and has good prose, some nice grey moralities, and there’s no system in it so complicated that you have to sit down and pattern out the rules around it. It’s a world very much like our own, only slightly different. 

It also does a really good job with the nature of goodness and gets into some extremely weird and interesting shit about God that I feel a lot of ways about at once. Can’t recommend the series enough on that level. I have read it as an adult and stand by it, and that’s my Big Test. 

"The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die." --A Song of Ice and Fire

Ahahahah there was a time I would have recommended A Song of Ice and Fire in this, which, to a point, I LOVED, I started reading it as a ...middle schooler? Maybe young high school? When I started falling out of love with fantasy. I still think the first few books are good, but I think  Martin’s biggest problem is he simply took too long, and what is the feel of fantasy now, and what most fantasy readers want, is out of his grasp. Though HONESTLY, if someone took a series of mine I hadn’t finished and made me fucking millions, would I keep writing? Or would I be like, “Aw, I’m retired now, I’m good”? I dunno, it’s easy to pretend you have morals when no one’s giving you  ten million dollars. But it also didn’t rely SO heavily on magic or anything, it was mostly about political machination. 

"where the world ends is where you must begin" --The Gunslinger

I almost forgot that The Gunslinger would actually completely be termed as fantasy. The Gunslinger is a fucking fantastic novel by Stephen King. I avoided reading the entire Dark Tower series for years, because people kept telling me, “Oh it’s nothing like Stephen King” and well I happen to very much like King’s THING, even when it aggravates me, so why would I read something that is nothing like him? Fortunately, what they meant was, “It’s not a horror novel.” I don’t know if I can recommend the entire series even though *I* ended up fucking loving it--I read the whole series in a year and that was with a huge break, but if I said it didn’t have it’s occasionally aggravating moments, I would be lying. But when it���s amazing, it’s so amazing, and the first book is all killer, no filler, and if you just wanted to leave it there, that would be fine. If you DO read the series...read the cliffnotes on Wizard and Glass, it’s boring as shit, and it’s clearly all of King’s backstory notes on Roland while he was trying to get back to writing the series, and like, no hate, but also, it made me stop reading the series for months. Wolves of the Calla, the one that comes after it, is an IMMENSELY fun fantasy-western, which in many ways I guess the series as a whole is? But mostly Wolves of the Calla. 

“Time and I have quarrelled. All hours are midnight now. I had a clock and a watch, but I destroyed them both. I could not bear the way they mocked me.”--Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell

This one is given with caveats--I haven’t read it since I was eighteen, and it might not be as good as I remember it being. I’ll look to reread it next year. But I know at the time I adored it! It has a really fun style to the writing that echoes the style of Dickens and the larger styles of the era, which makes the book an immense amount of fun for people named Doc, who are me. It is an INTENSELY English novel in a number of ways, and how both Strange and Norell can be so strangely (hah) fussy and so competent, and yet inept and caught up in their own petty backbiting drama (especially with each other--the story is, in many ways, about their friendship) just absolutely charmed the shit out of me as a youth. Now I want to reread it ahaha. It’s also, as I recall, a pretty easy read, though long. 

"What is the point of having free will if one cannot occasionally spit in the eye of destiny?" --The Dresden Files

Ohhhhhh boy does this come with caveats. This is a popcorn pulp series. It is a popcorn pulp series that at a certain point fails to deliver even on that promise. But for the first, oh, eight or nine novels, GOD did I love the Dresden Files. One of my favorite things was that it made me discover that though fantasy largely does not speak to me, I can quite love what I have come to find out is called ‘Urban Fantasy”. It had me from the moment where it was like, “Our world, but wizards are real, and they also have to go buy milk at the store” and I was like, “Oh fucking sold” because it allowed me to get into magic without all the “She was born of the CLydroffer lineage of witches, which took their power from air. She ran down to the village of Stratford-upon-Badger’s Nose and took to seeing the local Scriddonk” and anyway, avoiding the medieval setting made me enjoy it so much the more. They have a very fun lawful good character, Harry is that kind of smug asshole protagonist that’s JUST this side of enjoyable, and while there’s romance, up to a certain point at which I hope you abandon the sinking ship, you can ignore it.  Like I said, they’re not any great literary giant, but they’re immense fun in the way that like, Anita Blake was fun for awhile (for my mother at least) or Anne Rice.* 

*I don’t know what this counts as, but Interview With the Vampire is a hell of a book.  I can’t really recommend the others. I might, weirdly, have a copy upstairs in paperback? If you want it I’ll send it along, if I do.