I was drawn into Paul Cornell’s ever-so-English rural fantasy after hearing him read from The Lost Child of Lychford at Super Relaxed Fantasy Club, and I’ve been a big fan ever since. With the series now complete – and in lieu of reviewing the last two novellas, natch – let’s take a look at why it makes my heart sing.
One set of books that I failed to keep on top of reviews for this year was the Subjective Chaos shortlist. My focus ended up always being finishing the books on time; reviewing them was a bridge too far. Time to put that right – not least because this one went on to win our Blurred Boundaries category!
We’re counting down the days to Hallowe’en with some #SpooktasticReads. Today’s prompt – dark fantasy – is the perfect excuse to enthuse at you about one of my favourite series: Aliette de Bodard’s Gothic fantasy Dominion of the Fallen.
Come, enter the shadows of Fallen Paris with me…
October is here: leaves are a-crunching, pumpkin spice is a-calling and Spooktastic Reads is nearly upon us. Will you join us for Wyrd and Wonder’s annual celebration of dark fantasy, Gothic horror and autumnal scares?
When House Harrier explodes into civil war, Paris holds its breath to see who comes out on top. With Silverspires and Hawthorn already weakened, this could be an opportunity for the ruthlessly ambitious – but no-one is ready for what emerges from the fires of Harrier…
As the month ended, the adventurers gathered in the inn once more to share their exploits. It had been an epic season of Wyrd and Wonder, made delightful by friends well-met and tales well-told. While all good things proverbially come to end, there was comfort in knowing this was less an ending than a hiatus.
Can you believe how far our Wyrd and Wonder journey has taken us? What a few weeks it’s been – this fourth round-up of your adventures is as epic as any that have gone before! Before we tackle the last week, let’s take a moment to take a look back at the chatter along the road.
Week after week, the adventurers sent word back of their travels: venturing into uncharted subgenres, updates to follow. Taking tea with dragons, see you next week. Beset by TBRs, send aid! That last was the most common, but the TBRs proved friendly as a rule – just given to multiplying at alarming rates.
Out across the wild worlds of fantasy, the adventurers went in search of adventures. Some went alone. Some went with buddies. Some traversed the same worlds by different paths. And from time to time, they gathered back at the tavern to hear the bards sing the news of their journeying.
They gathered at the tavern. Some came alone, some came with friends; all came with books. Many called out happy greetings to familiar faces. New faces were welcomed with a smile and found a seat. Soon all were deep in discussions of other worlds and fantastic beasts. And so it began.
Summon your friends! Stock up your book bags of holding! Fear no creaking TBR! It’s May the 1st and you know what that means: it’s the start of an epic month of celebrating the fantastic with Wyrd and Wonder.
Agent Hamed has heard of haunted public buildings. Haunted homes. Even a haunted mausoleum. But a haunted tram car is unusual – and this case will test his ingenuity (and his budget) to its limits…
Nobody knows what makes someone Extraordinary, but Eliot Cardale and Victor Vale are determined to find out. Once they’ve developed a thesis, the next logical step is to test it. But to become superhuman, they will have to risk everything…
The end of an adventure is bittersweet: a welcome return home, but an acknowledgement that it’s over… for now. Wyrd and Wonder has run its course for another year, so let’s take one last look at what an epic quest it has been.
It’s Monday, which means it’s time to gaze into my crystal ball once more and see what my Wyrd and Wonderful companions have been up to this past week.
