Ancient Mirrors

Our Picks: Best Fantasy Writers of the Last 50 Years

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

We know this article’s going to meet a lot of argument across the web but we have to get it out there: our list of the top 3 fantasy writers of the last 50 years. Whether or not you’ve been to http://www.wildbluedeals.com/satellite-intern to get online and order their books or you’ve simply heard of them through the grapevine, do yourself a favor and check these classics out.
J.R. Tolkein: Who can argue with the father of The Lord of the Rings? Tolkein was the original god of fantasy and he had a vision all his own. His books and the films adapted from them have stood the test of time and though he’s deceased, he’s still missed.
Anne Rice: What’s better than vampire fantasy fiction with a side of religious imagery? Anne Rice knows how to play the fantasy horror genre and she’s still doing it well after all this time.
J.K. Rowling: Okay, here us out. Harry Potter isn’t just a national obsession, it’s a legend and if the 6 films adapted from the books have anything to tell us it’s that Rowling knows what she’s doing with a pen.

“I do believe in fairies”: Fantasies based on fairytales

admin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

As writers’ we have the privilege of creating new and exciting worlds. Within those worlds we can populate it with fantastical creatures. Lands possessed by Orcs or countries ruled by peaceful elves are just some of the possibilities open to a fantasy writer. One of the most popular characters to include in a fantasy novel is faeries. Faeries can be found in many different cultures folklore and religious texts. But fairies are not just a character of the past many modern writers include them as either central characters or as flavor for their world. Here is a short introduction to two very different takes on the fairy character.

One of the most famous faeries is Thumbelina. This beloved fairy has been a source of inspiration and joy for not only children but countless authors. Thumbelina is a typical fairy story geared more toward young and young at heart readers. A more modern rendition of the fairy genre is the Tithe series by Holly Black. This series takes the usual tropes associated with the genre and turns it upon its head. Faeries are not nice and kind and children’s friends, but are fierce and complex characters. This series shows faeries as a force to be reckoned with. As can be seen there is a wide variety of fairy stories to choose from and to compose.

The weird works of Neil Gaiman

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Neil Gaiman is the author of the wildly popular children’s book, Coraline. Turned into a major motion picture, Coraline tells the story of a girl, discontent with what she has, who ventures through a secret door into another world populated by quasi-mirror images of her life. It is a cautionary tale, intended to teach children the age-old lesson that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Neil Gaiman has had a long and storied literary history. As a child, he was fascinated by the works of such great fantasy writers as J.Check out this link here.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Edgar Allen Poe. As he grew up, he became interested in the science fiction genre and devoured the works of H.P. Lovecraft, Robert Heinlein and Alan Moore. This combination of fantasy and science fiction is apparent in his writings.

Gaiman is the mastermind behind such weirdly wild classics as Stardust, Neverwhere and American Gods. He is also the author of The Graveyard Book, a story based loosely on The Jungle Book in which a boy is orphaned and raised in a graveyard. Neil Gaiman is the go-to guy for fantasy based stories with just a hint of the bizarre included for good measure.

An introduction to fantasy manga

admin — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are many different kinds of entertainment out there for people all over the world to enjoy. One of the most popular forms of entertainment in this day and age is Manga. Tons of people are beginning to appreciate these stories in the same way that they love a good movie or a novel by their favorite author. To be fair, manga books are almost exactly like reading a graphic novel. They are serials and the story continues with each volume that is released. There are very intricate plot twists and all sorts of people have come to love these stories the same way that fans of soap operas tune in each day for new advances in the storyline.

One of the most popular manga stories out there right now is Fullmetal Alchemist. There are many different twists and turns taking place in this story, as the 2 main heroes go on a quest to return their deceased mother back to life. They do a lot of growing up and get into a large amount of trouble along the way. This is probably one of the most complex stories told in modern times and it’s still told simply enough to allow new fans of manga to use the story to get started with the genre.

Suffering from “Seeker” withdrawal? Check out the books

www.ancientmirrors.com — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 12:00:13 +0000

In just two seasons, the television series Legend of the Seeker (based on Terry Goodkind’s “Sword of Truth” novels) has won the type of fan loyalty usually reserved for shows twice its age. How can we tell? Because when the cancellation of the series was reported on April 26, fans began a campaign called “Save Our Seeker.” These earnest individuals are manning tables at fan conventions, sending DVDs to public libraries, and purchasing ads in trade magazines. Goodkind himself has published an announcement supporting the campaign, but the show’s fate remains in flux. If you can’t get enough of the wood guide Richard Cypher and his companions, now’s a perfect chance to check out Goodkind’s original novels.The eleven-book series began in 1994 with Wizard’s First Rule and ended in 2007 with Confessor. The television series roughly covers the first three novels, although the show’s producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert have stated that it’s more important to keep the feel of the characters faithful rather than slavishly follow the events of the series. Perhaps inspired by the success of the show, a new novel, The Omen Machine, has been announced on Goodkind’s website.Those viewers who check out the novels will find a much wider world than even a two-season-long show is able to convey. With most of the novels hitting over 500 pages, this is hardly surprising. The series itself is grouped into larger arcs, much like seasons or sub-plots on a television show. After the first book, which establishes the world, the next five books describe a formidable army called the Imperial Order and its invasion of the New World (the main setting of the series). The second two novels describe the characters’ adventures within the Old World and their quest to return home. The final three books of the series to date are known as the “Chainfire Trilogy,” named after an insidious spell cast by one of the villains. The latest book doesn’t have a release date yet, but there’s obviously a lot to explore already for those interested in the Seeker’s world.

J.K. Rowling in the after-”Harry” world

www.ancientmirrors.com — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:38 +0000

“What a difference 24 hours makes.” This was J.K. Rowling’s comment on how quickly the attitudes of the press can change, but it applies equally well to the author’s overnight success. In 1997, Rowling published the first book of her Harry Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and became possibly the most-recognized fantasy novelist of recent times. Even more unusual for a fantasy series, the books enjoyed popularity across all age groups and international borders. The final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was the fastest-selling book ever at the time of its release, with 15 million copies sold in the first 24 hours. It’s certainly a hard act to follow. So, what’s next for Rowlingand have we really seen the last of the series, as she insists?Rowling has been notorious for long creative breaks. She came up with the idea for the first book five years before finishing the manuscript, during which time the death of her mother also caused her to slow her writing. The fifth book took three years to write. Rowling has promised that she is still writing, and even says that she is almost finished with what she calls a “political fairy story” for an even younger audience than the Harry Potter novels. What she means by this description is unclear, as Rowling has also indicated her reluctance to try writing another fantasy series, which would inevitably be compared to its famous sibling.The big news for Potter fans is Rowling’s announcement that she plans to eventually publish an encyclopedia about Harry Potter’s world, although a release date (and even whether she’s begun or not) are unknown. Meanwhile, the series is about to be reinvigorated this November with the release of Part I of the Deathly Hallows film version. While curiosity was stirred back in July when Rowling was seen working on her laptop in a coffee shop, the author’s customary tight lips keep any additional speculation purely that.

Big “Wheel of Time” keeps on turning

www.ancientmirrors.com — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:00:51 +0000

Fantasy fans are well aware of how easily an imaginary world can take the place of one’s own. Millions of readers around the world have thrilled to such fictional universes over the years, especially the “Wheel of Time” series by Robert Jordan. However, no one could have predicted that Jordan would die in 2007 without completing the saga that he’d created. Aware of his failing health, Jordan left notes behind that would enable another author to complete the series. That author is Brandon Sanderson.Jordan’s 11-volume work is a hard act to follow, even for Sanderson, who’s been working in fantasy since at least his time at Brigham Young University, where he was a part of the popular magazine The Leading Edge. Sanderson was asked to finish the series by Jordan’s widow, Harriet McDougal, after the publication of Sanderson’s first Mistborn novel.One of the biggest obstacles Sanderson faces in completing the series are the fans themselves. Jordan’s carefully crafted and epic world, heavily influenced by Eastern philosophical and religious motifs like the Hindu/Buddhist nature of time and the cosmic balance of Daoism, has won millions of loyal fans. In 2008, the year after Jordan’s death, more than 44 million books in the series had been sold, with many fans heading online to sites like “Encyclopedia WoT” and “Pages of Prophecy” for further discussion, speculation, and elucidation. Will Sanderson be able to satisfy enough of them to make a difference?Judging by The Gathering Storm, the 12^th book in the series and Sanderson’s first, he’s on the right track. The book was a number one New York Times Best Seller the week of its release, and while reviewers like the AV Club’s Zack Handlen felt that Sanderson’s writing wasn’t quite as descriptive as Jordan’s, Handlen also applauded the improved pacing and resolution of several subplots. The next book, Towers of Midnight, will be released November 2, 2010.

Anne Bishop’s sparkling “Black Jewels” series

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:43 +0000

While strong female characters in fantasy literature are not uncommon, they are often created by men. If you don’t believe this makes a difference, just take a look at Roy Thomas’s Red Sonja, or even William Moulton Marston’s Wonder Woman. Novelist Anne Bishop turns traditional expectations of buxom, sword-wielding fantasy heroines on their heads, however, in her stellar series, “The Black Jewels.”The series was originally conceived as a trilogy, with the first book, Daughter of the Blood, published in 1998, Heir to the Shadows in 1999, and Queen of the Darkness in 2000. The title refers to the magical jewels which are awarded to (almost) every individual in a coming-of-age ceremony. The darkest jewels are the most powerful. In an interesting twist, jeweled women are the dominant ruling force, holding court over a coven of female attendants and a harem of fawning males. Bishop’s first three books tell the story of a young girl named Jaenelle Angelline who has the ability to become the most powerful witch in the universe.The “Black Jewels” books proved so popular that they became Bishop’s flagship series. Perhaps one reason is their crossover appeal, with even people who say they don’t read fantasy novels falling for it (as in this Amazon review). The romance between Jaenelle and her lover Daemon is one compelling aspect that sets these novels apart, along with Bishop’s evocative and emotional writing. The first trilogy was followed by a prequel at the end of 2000, with four more books in the series since then.Bishop has also written two other series, the “Tir Alainn Trilogy” and the “Landscapes of Ephemera,” along with a number of short stories appearing in different anthologies. If you’re in the mood for a sensuous and romantic fantasy that sets itself apart from the crowd, take a trip into Bishop’s “Black Jewels” universe.

Gertrude Barrows Bennett: mother of a genre

www.ancientmirrors.com — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:52:45 +0000

Fantasy encompasses such a wide variety of fiction that it would be overwhelming without categorization. In the 70′s, author Charles L. Grant named the genre “dark fantasy,” referring to fiction with elements of both fantasy and horrorhowever, he was by no means the first to work with this potent combination. That honor traditionally is attributed to Gertrude Barrows Bennettand yet until four years after her death, her fans never even knew her name.Born in 1883, Gertrude Barrows made a decision to take the pen name Francis Stevens in 1917 (revealed in 1952). Her early hope was to be an illustrator, but life had other plans for her. She married British explorer Stewart Bennett in 1909, but tragedy struck a year later when he died during an expedition. Gertrude was left to care for her new daughter and also took care of her mother after World War I. Writing became another means of supporting her family, and presumably also an escape.However, bleakness and horror color many of Barrows Bennett’s works. “The Nightmare,” her first story, is about a man aboard the Lusitania who wakes up on a paradise island and discovers its darker secrets. “Unseen-Unfeared” relates the story of a scientist who discovers a race of microscopic monsters. In her longer works, which H. P. Lovecraft greatly admired, the strangeness only increased. The Citadel of Fear (1918) is about an Aztec city rediscovered amid the violence of World War I, , while Claimed (1920) is about a demonic box which starts afflicting a prominent millionaireechoes of which can be found in the works of Clive Barker. Barrows Bennet also wrote one science-fiction novel, The Heads of Cerberus (1919), which is considered one of the earliest dystopiasYevgeny Zamyatin’s We wasn’t published until 1921.