The History of Fantasy, Part I: Books of Monsters
Some people like to date Fantasy as starting with Tolkien, some like to reach back to the tales of the ancient world, but I like to split the difference and start with Beowulf. […]
On the Study of the Fantastic, Part II
I was deeply tempted to title this post “Academia for Fun and Profit,” but it seemed a bit misleading as the vast majority of people tend to read “profit” as traditional monetary gain.
Back to School: Pamela Dean’s Tam Lin
The book is like those rare courses some of us are lucky enough to take–the ones you don’t want to end.
American Tolkien
There is a kind of writer whose name evokes not just the titles of their best-known novels or the characters in them, but a certain way of experiencing the world. If one hears the name […]
The History of Fantasy, Part III: I Think You Got a Little Grit In Your … Everything
I’d mentioned previously the spectrum of modern fantasy is fairly disparate, but if you go into the library or a bookstore it’s really borne out. So I think the best way to discuss the topic […]
Old Friends, and Why We Love Them
Dragon Battle Book Sculpture by wetcanvas. First sentences are important. Introductions are important. Not gonna lie, I’ve been writing in my head for weeks trying to figure out the perfect start to this blog, and […]
The History of Fantasy, Part II: Barbarians and Elves and Jesus Figures and D20s
The nineteenth century closes with two books that will be imitated constantly for the next hundred years or so: Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. To a […]
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