I first read She Who Became The Sun last year. Shelley Parker-Chan’s devastatingly good debut reimagines a key period of Chinese history and I never marshalled my thoughts into a review that wasn’t vowels – but that’s okay, as The Fantasy Hive have come to my rescue with a read-along for their June celebration of trans and nonbinary authors.
fantasy
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.
If you’d asked me at the start what the hardest Fantastic Five would be to write, subgenres wouldn’t have even crossed my mind. More fool me. Because I can barely define subgenres correctly, let alone accurately assign books to them – and I’m wildly indecisive. So this was trickier than anticipated…
I love fantasy that explores themes of family – ties of blood, ties of love, ties of loyalty – and I am delighted to say author CSE Cooney agreed to stop by for Wyrd & Wonder to discuss these notions in the complicated context of her necromantic novel Saint Death’s Daughter…
It’s the final week of our read-along of The Summer Tree and that sound is me sobbing and my fellow read-alongers screaming as Guy Gavriel Kay serves up a vicious finale of family conflict, double-edged fates and the endless hatred of an undying god. Questions this week by Mayri the BookForager!
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.
It’s a truth rarely acknowledged that I get more out of SFnal short stories than fantasy. Novellas, on the other hand, are a favourite of mine regardless of genre. The best have just enough world-building to support their plot, and focus on characters and situation to deliver a thrilling adventure or emotionally resonant ride (or both! Both is good) – for today’s Fantastic Five, I’m sharing some favourites…
The third week of our read-along of The Summer Tree is a rollercoaster of love and gods – and unexpected friendship. Yes, I’ve spent most of the week sobbing into my pages, so let’s see if I can explain why…
I’ve been making steady progress on my Subjective Chaos Kind of Awards shortlists, thanks in part to traveling a lot this past month. There’s nothing quite like the enforced downtime of flying to motivate me to inhale books I’ve been looking forward to or bull through ones I haven’t. Today I’m looking back at the fantasy novellas in a Wyrd and Wonder cross-over.
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!
It’s Sunday, which means it’s time to share our Fantastic Fives! This week we’re celebrating the mascots who have accompanied us through five years of Wyrd & Wonder and Spooktastic Reads: the dragon, the phoenix, the pegasus, the raven and the wolf.
I’m delighted to announce a very special Wyrd & Wonder giveaway, combining our forest fantasy theme with a spooktastic vibe in honour of Friday the 13th! We have five ARCs of The Dark Between The Trees by Fiona Barnett to giveaway courtesy of the lovely team at Rebellion Publishing – if you’re brave enough!
It’s back to Fionavar for the second week of our read-along. Our earthborn five are scattered: Dave has disappeared, Kevin & Paul are buddying up with Diarmuid, Kim has come face to face with Destiny and Jennifer… seems like she might have a Fate. Let’s talk The Summer Tree!
In a magical fortress on the edge of the world, a runaway slave mage hides from his past until the arrival of a gifted refugee threatens his close-guarded secrets. But who is this girl with the tattooed face, and what does she mean to the rebels surging across the country?
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!
onemore.org 