Low-Magic Fantasy? Inconceivable! How a classic tale dodges fantasy’s biggest trap. Magic system. Magic system. Magic system. Start a conversation...
Princess Bride
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Frieren
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, is a surprisingly succinct title that describes exactly what this anime is about. We meet the protagonist, Frieren,...
Step One: Recognizing a Time Loop
You’ve got the weirdest sense of déjà vu. It’s not just one thing; it’s everything. First things first, don’t panic. There’s a good chance...
Wizard’s Wishes – Could a cop show with criminal wizards really work?
One of the key quirks that made the early seasons of the X-Files great was the Mulder/Scully dynamic, where he came up with these wild,...
Skyrim created a world too awesome to bother saving
If you’re familiar with Skyrim, congratulations. You don’t need to be told. But for everyone else, this 2011 Bethesda game is a classic. There, I’ve...
Post-Secondary Wizard Education
For those who missed it, The Magicians is a fully completed television series with a satisfying ending (unlike some other fantasy series we could...
Worlds We Just Need More Of
Fantasy fans are nothing if not obsessed with worldbuilding. No one makes it through thousands of pages of text without becoming invested in the...
Tired of Good Always Winning?
Boss Monster is a game where you are the evil ruler of a stereotypical fantasy dungeon. You preside over a lair composed of cards you play, each...
This show is a giant Easter egg hunt
One show that I never expected to like was Once Upon a Time. The basic premise is that Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter ended up an orphan...
Heroes are More than Tavern Brawls
If you're a fan of board games, there's a good chance you've at least heard of Red Dragon Inn, even if you haven't played it. Well, that...
Poll: What’s it take to be the greatest bounty hunter?
Back when I first launched my Black Ocean: Mercy for Hire series, I posed this question to my email insiders. The main character, Esper, may be...
Henchmen can be heroes too
Not sure what my Author Scrapheap is? I introduce the idea on the Author Scrapheap archive page. This edition hearkens back to some of my earliest...
Your DIY magic portal
One of my favorite seeds for story ideas is the notion of the crossover concepts. They've been big in comics since forever and huge in fan-fic. But...
Labyrinth: Two Kinds of Magic
Rumors have circulated (as rumors are wont to do) about a potential remake of the fantasy classic The Labyrinth. This is, of course, blasphemy. Not...
An idea that conquered itself
Not sure what my Author Scrapheap is? I introduce the idea on the Author Scrapheap archive page. Idea: A Conqueror's Tale (2 Books) Premise: Both...
Fighting for Freedom
With Independence Day behind us in the USA, it's a good time to talk about rebellions and revolutions in fiction. Sci-fi and fantasy are rife with...
Fantastic Fathers
Back around Mother's Day, I made a list of the best mothers in sci-fi and fantasy. Fair's fair, so now we're having a look at the top fictional...
RPGs: the Fantasy Author’s Gateway Drug to Writing
This past weekend, I got together with the same group of guys I've been gaming with since the mid-'90s for some tabletop D&D action. Even though...
More Than a Sword
The sword is the iconic staple of the fantasy multiverse. It's among the more effective all-purpose melee weapons, while more conveniently portable...
In Honor of Mother’s Day
In honor of Mother's Day, let's talk about the greatest mothers in sci-fi and fantasy. Sadly, thanks to cloning vats and a bias toward orphan...
Game of Predicting Thrones
As a longtime fan of Game of Thrones (in book form, no less!), I'm excited at the prospect of the final season of the TV version wrapping up, even...
So You Want to Be a Wizard…
I think anyone who's read books or watched movies has, at some point, contemplated being a wizard. Whether it's a simple wish to levitate traffic...
Are any shows “appointment television” for you?
"Appointment television" hasn't died, but Netflix sure is trying to strangle it. And while I'm certainly one to binge whole seasons or series in a...
The A, B, Cs of Fantasy
A - Adventure Because a life of stability and hard work just isn't in the cards. B - Battle Something to break up all the walking, riding, and...