I apologize that this post is later than planned but I’ve been unwell. Now I’m recommending a Fantasy novel full of colour and warmth which was just the tonic I needed. “The Star-Touched Queen” is by Roshani Chokshi, an American author of Indian descent, and it taps into a rich tradition of female story-telling in… Continue reading
This week I’m recommending a Fantasy novel which features a rather unusual love-triangle involving a Man, a Dryad and a Minotaur. “The Forest of Forever” by Thomas Burnett Swann is set on the island of Crete around 1500 BCE. This novel, first published in America in 1971, is a prequel to “The Day of the… Continue reading
Last week a British Head Teacher declared that children shouldn’t be allowed to read Fantasy novels because their darkness and violence damage “sensitive subconscious brains” and “encourage difficult behaviour”. He suggested that parents should read them Classics such as Shakespeare instead, which is odd if you consider the amount of darkness, violence and fantasy in… Continue reading
Today I’m recommending a novella in Canongate’s `The Myths’ series. This small Scottish publishing firm had the big idea of commissioning famous authors from all over the world to write modern interpretations of ancient myths. Nineteen volumes, of variable quality, have appeared so far. I’ve already recommended one of them – Natsuo Kirino’s haunting `The… Continue reading
I apologize for the longer than usual gap between posts, which was due to the disruption caused by having painters in my house. During all the moving of books I rediscovered a novel that I am making this week’s recommendation. The ugly cover of `The Fishers of Darksea’ (bald men waving spears) nearly made me… Continue reading
Once in a blue moon I realize that I am reading a new book which is destined to become one of my all time favourite Fantasy novels. `City of Stairs’ by Robert Jackson Bennett is such a book, so I’m making it this week’s recommendation. This novel came out last year and is currently available… Continue reading
This week instead of the usual book recommendation I’m issuing a plea for everyone to remember the original meaning of the word Isis. When you Google Isis now instead of finding articles about the Egyptian goddess Isis, or the stretch of the river Thames that shares her name, the top listings are all about the… Continue reading