Happy May Day – and welcome to a month of Wyrd and Wonder when an enthusiastic party of bookworms, gamers and other genre fans celebrate the fantastic. Wyrd and Wonder means tripping over blogs where we rave about our favourite fantasy books, yell about movies and shows, share the games setting our imagination alight. Sure, we enjoy fantasy all year round – but in May we do it together. So, what will I be getting up to?
epic fantasy
Sometimes getting home isn’t the end of the adventure. Phèdre has promises to keep and souls to save. She may have faced down horror and the divine to gain the opportunity to do just that, but that doesn’t mean there are no further obstacles to overcome…
Phèdre comes face to face with a mystery too deep to encompass and does an awful lot of travelling this week. No really, an awful lot of travelling.
It’s week four of the Wyrd and Wonder read-along of Kushiel’s Avatar, which – ignoring the necessarily violent start – is a balm after last week, full of travel and intrigue rather than cruel horrors, along with more than its fair share of moments that made me feel I had something in my eye…
Phèdre is pushed into an impossible decision this week when she learns the terrible history of the kingdom that died and lives. When it becomes clear that her obligation is not only to her loved ones but to her gods, she reluctantly agrees to place herself in the hands of its ruler. But can even Phèdre withstand his cruelty – or survive his love?
I’ve fallen behind in our epic read-along (yes, already) and am chasing Phèdre’s tail (not like that) to catch up so expect a lot of d’Angeline musings this coming week. In our second week, Phèdre and Joscelin hit the road in search of Imriel de la Courcel – only to discover forces beyond even their abilities may be at work…
Two years and a sojourn in Fionavar later, it’s time for us to return to Terre d’Ange. We rejoin Phèdre at the heart of national and Night Court politics, enjoying the peace she worked so hard to secure – and haunted by a foretelling that it cannot last. When Melisande Shahrizai begs her aid and offers a payment she cannot refuse, it’s time to start on her darkest journey yet…
Having decided a couple of years ago that mid-February is the best time to read Jacqueline Carey’s epic fantasy about the many forms of love, this February we’re finally reading Kushiel’s Avatar. We’ll be tackling this chonky trilogy-closer across 6 weeks starting February 12th – if you’d like to join us, you’re very welcome!
As omens and natural disasters assail Narida, people flock to the banner of Nari Reborn. Natan the God-King faces a battle for his birthright – and he doesn’t even know that the Golden is sailing for his shore intent on killing a god…
Hot on the heels of our read-along of The Summer Tree during Wyrd & Wonder, we are racing into the second volume of the The Fionavar Tapestry to find out what happens. We’ll be reading The Wandering Fire through July – full details below, shout if you would like to join us!
Our adventure is done, but the long days of summer lie ahead for further exploration of the realms of fantasy to lay in a stock of new stories to share when we next meet. But before we head back out into the fictional wilds, let’s take a final look back at our fifth year of Wyrd and Wonder.
We’re two thirds of the way through our journey, which is another fine time to pause and take stock. Pour yourself a drink and settle in to hear all about the adventures we’ve been having on our travels through the realms of fancy.
Well met, traveller! How are your adventures through the realms of fantasy? Varied and satisfying, we hope – but before you head back out in search of another, settle in and I’ll tell you a tale of what the rest of the party have encountered in their genre journeys. That’s right, it’s time for the Quest Log!
Welcome back to the tavern, traveller! Grab a drink and rest awhile – the first week of Wyrd and Wonder has been busy, so it’s time to settle in and find out what adventures the rest of the party have found as they ventured into the wilds of fantasy. Never fear, your co-hosts have a round-up of all the action!
May is here, marking the start of our fifth annual celebration of all things fantastic! Wyrd and Wonder means raving about our favourite fantasy books, yelling about movies and tv shows, sharing the games that light our fires, seeking out new authors and making new friends. Sure, we read fantasy all year round – but in May we do it together.