#filipino epic fantasy

[inkcurlsandknives]

If you love a Marriage of Convenience, come check out Saints of Storm and Sorrow where you'll get to watch a bisexual nun, possessed by the goddess of Storms about to marry the son of the local ruler to avoid getting burned as a witch by the Inquisition, while also trying not to get executed by her father in law for treason first. Come for the saved by a sudden marriage loopholes stay for the bisexual angst and drowning colonizers

big fan of marriages of convenience. marry your best friend for tax benefits. marry your roommate for college tuition breaks. "marry" your love interest for plot-contrived reasons at a fake wedding, then accidentally fall in love & get married for real in the epilogue. so many possibilities!

[inkcurlsandknives]

Cover Reveal for Daughters of Flood and Fury! Book 2 of the Stormbringer Saga! Saints of Storm and Sorrow is a Duology!!

Coming July 2025 from @Titanbooks

Daughters of Flood and Fury will appeal to readers of The Wolf of Oren Yaro and Red as the Sea Deep as the Sky. A Codician Flotilla is amassing in Canazco. Lunurin and Alon must bring together the scattered Stormfleet before their hard won freedom is lost. Inez, newly named to tide-touched magic struggles to embrace her role as a healer, wrestling with old ghosts and newer rumors as the Codician attack grows nearer.

Add it on Goodreads and get your pre-orders in! Shout out to Miss Nat Mack my book designer whose epic vision keeps giving me spectacular book covers!!

[theaguanzon]

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Novellas, poetry, fanfiction—you name it. There was always a burning desire to express what was in my heart, to tell the stories that lived in my head. However, because I’m located in the Global South, because I’m the product of several generations of law and medicine, l never let myself think that it could be anything more than a hobby only for my spare time. It wasn’t until 2020 that I took a leap of faith, quitting my office job and deferring my master’s program abroad in order to write a fantasy romance epic rooted in Southeast Asian culture, tradition, and mythology.

And now, flash forward three years, my debut novel THE HURRICANE WARS is a USA Today, Indie, and New York Times bestseller in its first week of release! This would never have been possible without: my communities, fandom and Filipino, and all the book bloggers who really showed up for this novel, who tirelessly spread the word; my brilliant agent Thao Le who’s had my back since day one; my Harper Voyager US team, who poured so much time and creative energy into THW’s publishing and campaign; and the booksellers and librarians throughout the US who advocated for an unknown brown author’s debut to have a place on their shelves. I owe it all to you!

I kind of want to cry for the girl I used to be, battling mental health issues and flitting from one degree program to the next, hoping to find the one that was fulfilling and “acceptable” at the same time, even though deep down writing was all there ever was or could be. I kind of want that girl to see into her future and say “Kaya naman pala” and wallow a bit. But I prefer to embrace this moment, in awe at the knowledge that my past has informed the voice that I now share with the world, and it is this same past that has gotten me here.

I’m proud to represent my motherland the Philippines in this achievement. I hope that in some small way this can be a step toward encouraging Southeast Asian policymakers to address the gaps in support and infrastructure for our talented local writing scenes, as well as motivating the global publishing industry to seek out more Southeast Asian writers and give our stories a platform. Onward! 💖🌩️

[rubytrilogy-cowboy]

- ̗̀♱ about me ! (⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)

🜏 | name : jules / malachi /j /or not / nimrod / mallory

🜏 | age : rather not say

🜏 | gender & sexuality : transmasculine 🏳️‍⚧️ + bisexual ♡⁠˖⁠꒰⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠⑅⁠꒱

🜏 | languages : english / french / filipino

- ̗̀♱ interests

🜏 | music : rock (soft rock, hard rock, etc), metal, swing, blues / bands(or singers) : MSI, AM, Gorillaz, Slipknot, System of a Down

🜏 | video : movies: Children of the Corn, The Omen, Harry Potter series, Jumanji, Central Intelligence / shows: Young Sheldon

🜏 | games : Roblox, Minecraft, GL2, Lucius

🜏 | fandom (pls talk to me if you are in any of these) : Children of the Corn, Shadows House, DunMeshi / Delicious in Dungeon, Lucius

- ̗̀♱ movies

🜏 | genres : horror, comedy, fantasy

🜏 | subgenres : religious horror (COTC and The Omen specifically), sitcoms, slapsticks , sword and sorcery fantasy, high fantasy (epic fantasy)

- ̗̀♱ extra

🜏 | dms/frqs : allowed

🜏 | socials : your_gilmoreboy in discord and your-gilmoreboy on yt (i don't post... yet), malachiboardman in roblox

🜏 | my dumby wumbies (friends) : @k-at-kat @brains4ne @bernkastel11 @rainywinnerpeach @rainbowgr1lledcheese (if you're ever uncomfortable being on this tag page, please just tell me and I'll take your tag down immediately)

🜏 | people I watch : Kubz Scouts

🜏 | bible quotes and where they come from: Zechariah 13:1 • The Shepherd Struck “ Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones. ” — Malachi 13:1 • The Priests' Polluted Offerings “ A son honors his father, a servant his master. If I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? ”

[wolfythewitch]

Hi wolfy, do maybe have some filipino books recommendations? Seeing as ur a fan of witcher, epic etc i do trust your taste

Im mostly looking for some fantasy if it narrows it down

Ohhhh I don't really read Filipino books sorry AGSJDHD I can barely speak the language

I've read Trese if you're interested in that? I can ask my friends if they've read any books they can recommend and come back to you

[cheesy-cryptid]

!! Did you know there's a filipino ttrpg called gubat banwa that is heavily inspired by seasian culture ! Seeing your fantasy artworks made me think you'd be interested

omg anon i just looked it up!! Everything looks so cool and the designs are so epic <3 <3 it warms my little fantasy-loving, history-nerd heart so muchhhh

[libraryleopard]

Adult epic fantasy

In an empire ruled by tyrannical royals with god-given powers from an imprisoned moon goddess, two young warriors help free the goddess and escort her to freedom as rebellion rises across the land

Seamlessly weaves together multiple narratives and framing devices

Lyrical and experimental, tender and brutal

Filipino-inspired world-building; M/M romance; disabled main character (left arm amputee)

[samanthakgarner]

The world of my new fantasy novel Seeker of the Lost Song is inspired by pre-colonial Filipino culture, as well as the medieval Swedish rule of Finland. Its sequel is additionally inspired by the later Russian control of Finland. Finnish history is a major inspiration for both novels, even though they’re not historical fantasy.

Lord of the Rings was the first fantasy novel I read, way back at the age of 13. I read the Silmarillion shortly after that, and fell deeply in love with the world, the mythology, and the language. I didn’t intentionally set out to model Seeker and Sequel after Tolkien’s work. I mean, they aren’t epic fantasy novels, and Tolkien’s specific flavour of worldbuilding has been done over and over ad nauseam.

However, there are five subtle ways that Tolkien’s influence has made its way into my work that I can’t deny.

(NB: Spoilers ahead for some of Tolkien’s work – proceed with caution!)

Read the full blog post here!

🧝🏼

[idyadiaries]

Who is Idya???

Idya Shabab is a Muslim Filipina who is currently in one of the PH med schools. No, don’t get excited. She’s still a freshman who is having an existential crisis in med school (because it hadn’t initially been her choice).

She loves dreaming of the day she finally finishes penning her novel (which she hasn’t even started yet). She dreams more about becoming a writer more than she ever does to become a medical doctor.

She speaks a few languages—Filipino, English, Arabic, and Malay. She understands and speaks a bit of some Philippine dialects.

On her spare time, she’s usually curled up on the couch or the bed reading a historical fiction or fantasy book—that packs a lot of political intrigue. (But—between me and you—if you ask her if she is interested in politics, she’ll deny it to death saying she hates dirty politics.)

She is surrounded by a political family in a town where everyone knows everyone—but not anymore. (She moved out to study medicine.) Nevertheless, you can count on it that she’ll be on the forefront if it benefits the Muslim community.

People know her to be an introvert—some say mysterious. But really, she’s just busy thinking and nitpicking everyone’s words and expressions.

She tends to be on good terms with people she comes across with but only a few are really close to her.

Her survival skills are epic but she’ll tell you otherwise.

(She’s an awesome friend to have!)

[inkcurlsandknives]

If you would like to see Update update: I will be making this EVERYONE else's problem. Please check out SAINTS OF STORM AND SORROW my Filipino Epic Fantasy with an elemental magic system based on early shaman lead rebellions against Spanish rule and other early and pre-colonial folklore. You will love Lunurin and Alon very much.

i like sailing myths and superstitions because most of them can be boiled down to "if the ocean doesn't like you it will chew you up and spit out your bones. and if it really loves you it will swallow you whole and keep you forever. good luck 👍"

[inkcurlsandknives]

Finally I can officially reveal the cover for my Filipino Epic Fantasy SAINTS OF STORM AND SORROW.

In which a bisexual nun hiding a goddess-given gift is unwillingly transformed into a lightning rod for her people's struggle against colonization. Perfect if you love lush fantasy full of morally ambiguous characters, like The Poppy War and The Jasmine Throne.

Huge shout out to @missnatmack who did such an amazing job with the cover and incorporated some of my favorite details like Lunurin’s embroidered piña cloth blouse, her salwal style pants featuring the pinilian inspired weaving patterns of Northwest Luzon, and of course her weapon which was inspired by barbed Filipino fishing spears called Sibat.

Saints of Storm and Sorrow comes out June 25, 2024 with Titan books! Preorder links can be found on my linktree in my profile.

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (08/05/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez (10/10)

This book blew me away. It has amazing characters, unique writing, and a plot that may not seem complex at first but is incredibly satisfying and holds great meaning. The way this book plays with perspective is unlike any I've ever read before, and it blends seamlessly with the worldbuilding. The characters are a little larger than life, like heroic figures, which is exactly what they should seem like, but they're also incredibly human as this story often takes time to give voice to people that would usually be forgotten. This story is all about cultural identity, storytelling, and family history, and the framing device works spectacularly well in getting those messages across. It essentially uses an epic legend to depict the process of reconnecting with one's culture, and it's made all the more concrete by the fact that the author's culture (he's Filipino) comes across so strongly. This book took me a bit, a week and a half, but it's absolutely worth the time and I especially recommend for any fantasy fans looking for something new.

Talons of Power by Tui T. Sutherland (8/10)

Coming up on the end of the second arc, this book was decent. I bumped up its rating since it had some genuinely crazy reveals that have been built up to since the beginning of the first arc, but I did find this one a little repetitive. I understand that Turtle obviously suffers from extreme anxiety and it is likely over-emphasized due to the younger target audience, but I swear half this book was him going around in circles. I did like that he didn't just get over his anxiety at the end. He just becomes the poster boy for "do it scared," which is a good message for kids. It was genuinely frustrating to see Turtle enchant all kinds of one-use things when there were a billion different spells he could have cast to get rid of Darkstalker or remove his magical influence from everyone. I will say though, I did love that Qibli and Glory were the only two to pick up on the magic as the two "street smarts" characters in either arc. While I like Turtle and love this series, this book was just frustrating to read at some points.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (CR, 50%)

The dread that filled me when the characters started talking about a magical tournament...I don't hate that trope, but it has been so overdone in modern fantasy that I'm just absolutely sick of it. Luckily, I'm halfway through and the tournament is sort of a background thing and is more of an assessment than a competition. I like the characters, but I don't feel super strongly about them, and the romance feels overall unnecessary. I love a romance subplot, but this one feels like it was added just to cover Bardugo's bases.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson (CR, 26%)

So far, this book seems right up my alley. It's full of political intrigue and incredibly thorough worldbuilding. Unfortunately, there isn't really magic; this is basically the real world with a new geographical layout, governance systems, and an empire that is an amalgam of every terrible European imperialist power. I think Dickinson doesn't know how to write children, and things are over-explained sometimes, but mostly I'm enjoying this read and think it could be really strong.

Ash and Roses by N. B. Snook (CR, 7%)

I'm am sick to hell and back of Beauty and the Beast retellings (one of only two retellings available in romantasy, the other being Hades and Persephone), but I'm also dedicated to reading every book I've gotten through Stuff Your Kindle, so here I am. So far this book isn't egregious with decent writing, but it has done two things I dislike. First, the main character's name is Abilene, a suitable high fantasy name, but she is called Abby. Please no. Commit! Second, Abilene is obviously pretty privileged being a princess, but she seems wholly aware of that privilege and completely class conscious, which is not only a boring choice but an unrealistic one as there is yet to be anything introduced that would explain this difference in ideology. Hopefully this gets better.

Only by Rachel H. Drake (DNF @ 10%)

Both Goodreads and Storygraph tell me this is the first book in this series, but it must be a spin-off or something. This book starts off with the main character talking about all these people he knows and his history with them, and none of it is explained or really described at all. WHO IS WILLIAM? I sure don't know. The only explanation is that I missed a connecting series somewhere, but the writing isn't good enough for me to try and hunt that down.

[inkcurlsandknives]

Please know that I wrote all of SAINTS OF STORM AND SORROW chasing one crystal clear image of a blood soaked bride on her wedding morning 😌

If this is up your alley you should check out my Filipino epic fantasy coming out June 25 2024

when making a character, u have to ask urself:

are they bloody?

will they ever be bloody?

is it their blood or somebody elses blood theyre covered in?

why are they bloody?

how drenched in blood are they going to be from a scale of 1-10, with 1 being ''barely drenched'' and 10 being ''so covered we shld ask where there ISNT any blood on them''?

[roomba-mangga]

Coming from someone whose expectations for fiction marketing itself based on representation may be unreasonably high and/or nitpicky, the Common Bonds anthology is very good so far actually, though I've only read the first two stories and some of Cinder.

(slight spoilers below)

The Aromatic Lovers: As the title implies, a cute romance between an alloro character and an aro character, set in a world where perfume scents are used to communicate facets of identity and gender. The alloro character is possibly agender and the story centers their POV, but their aro love interest isn't an archetype that would typically be written as aromantic, so that's a lovely surprise. (I expected POV character would be the aro one, given their awkwardness and how people react to them, but that wasn't the case).

Voices In The Air: Surprise Filipino fantasy, holy shit? An action-adventure piece featuring monsters of folklore and a tense relationship between two people grieving a lost loved one. I wasn't entirely sold on said relationship, however, because this story felt like a tiny snippet of a much larger and ultimately underdeveloped epic narrative. Still, I enjoyed it enough for the Filipino cultural elements included.

[crowdfundr]

🧸 Kids & YA Creator Spotlight

As some of you might know, we are launching a spotlight for kids and YA content creators in July. We have some amazing campaigns brewing on Crowdfundr and we couldn't wait to share them with you!

These campaigns haven't launched yet, but you can hit the button "subscribe now" on a campaign page to get notified about the launch.

🌟 "Nudi Gill" by Bonnie Kelso, a colorful and funny card game for the whole family. It's easy to play and it's a great way to learn more about nudibranchs, soft bodied mollusks that live in the sea.

👥 Age: all ages

➡ https://crowdfundr.com/NudiGillCardGame

🌟 "Petro Graphic Novel" by Ken Lamug, an asian/filipino-themed fantasy adventure. Petro is based on a popular lazy character (Juan Tamad) depicted in many Filipino folktales. Through the endearing, fun, adventurous boy, the reader is taken on an adventure exploring a wondrous world and meeting unique creatures and characters.

👥 Age: all ages

➡ https://crowdfundr.com/PetroBook

🌟 "The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky" by Rowena Zahnrei and Sarah E Steinberg, comics for young naturalists. These three 42-page comics aim to inspire kid readers to ask questions, think creatively and observe the natural worlds around them.

👥 Age: 6-10

➡ https://crowdfundr.com/BafflingBirds

🌟 "Kid Beowulf: Songs & Sagas" by Lex Fajardo, a graphic novel series that follows the legendary adventures of twin brothers Beowulf and Grendel as they travel the world and meet fellow epic heroes therein. The series is full of history, mythology, and adventure.

👥 Age: 8 and up

➡️ https://crowdfundr.com/KidBeowulf

🌟 "The Librarian's Apprentice" by Dan Bronson-Lowe, a solo journaling game where you play by as the titular Librarian's apprentice, tasked with finding six documents in the Great Library and discovering places, patrons, and secrets along the way.

👥 Age: all ages

➡️ https://crowdfundr.com/TheLibrariansApprentice

🌟 "Lock and Doc: Double Feature" by Josh Sippie, the first installment of an ongoing series with a mixture of short stories, and full-length original graphic novels. Lock, an intrepid 12-year-old detective, and his sidekick Doc, an anthropomorphic teddy bear, solve mysteries within the stuffed animal community.

👥 Age: all ages

➡️ https://crowdfundr.com/lockanddoc

Which one is your favorite so far?❤️