Sylwia Koziel’s debut novel is a Princess and the Pea retelling with dual timelines, political intrigue, and first love. The Bone Below features a charming traveller, a morally grey prince, and secret identities that span over dual timelines. With subtle yet darker twists to the fairy tale, this fantasy has both court intrigue and quite…
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Genoveva Dimova’s debut novel is a fast-paced fantasy rooted in Slavic folklore, and in the author’s own words, Foul Days is “a Balkan fantasy about impossible to escape, monster-filled cities and impossible to escape, monstrous exes”. Set during the twelve days after Christmas, when monsters are free to roam—based on Bulgarian foklore—this story follows a…
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September is the best time to buy a book because of the cozy atmosphere that is soon rolling in: from the newest release by a Pulitzer-finalist author to a realistic fiction that takes readers to the streets of Calcutta, India; from sequels of loved fantasy books like Once Upon a Broken Heart and Gideon the…
Read MoreMihir, from ‘Fantasy Book Critic’ shares six fantasy novels inspired by Indian mythology and lore that can be a great introduction to the Indian fantasy space for non-desi readers.
Read MoreGourav Mohanty, the author of Sons of Darkness, on writing a story set in re-imagined Vedic India, the last unexplored genre of Indian literature, and inspiration behind this debut grimdark fantasy.
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It’s no surprise that young adult characters are sometimes judged from a mature, experienced lens for decisions that are very much based on their ‘young’ age. So I always set a reminder for myself while reading YA books: don’t judge the protagonist too much for their choices and simply comment on them from the story’s…
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While picking up a feminist SFF, some might expect the men in these stories to find an independent place for themselves within these fictional worlds. Because that’s true feminism for many, right? We can’t have a heroine who drives the male protagonists’ arc by herself, with her strength, on her power. Of course, this isn’t…
Read MoreSome books really force you to decide what you like more: a fast-paced plot or a slowly-evolving character arc. A River Enchanted gives you enough reasons to go with the latter. Fantasy books, especially when not in the the young adult demographic, are often expected to let a complex plot, an extensively built world, and…
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Furthermoor by Darren Simpson Bren is still grieving the tragic loss of his sister Evie and has numbed himself while going through the daily routines of home and school. Simultaneously, the school bully, Shaun, preys on the saddened Bren while also marking down a new kid. Bren is happy he at least has an imaginary…
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The myth of the tortured artist has turned real for many creatives all through past and present, like Vincent van Gogh who battled mental illness and secured his spot as the suffering artist when he chopped off his ear with a razor blade. But at the core of a creative world, the idea of suffering…
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