Marc Aplin's Blog, page 248

“In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.” Let’s be honest, Alice in Wonderland adaptations and spin-offs are hardly rare nowadays. I can name at least five manga related to the classic tale (though there are a lot more), there is the […]

It has been a good few years since the final Harry Potter book was released, but J.K. Rowling has rekindled interest in the series by revealing that she feels she made a mistake with the ending and that she now feels the books would have worked better if Harry Potter ended up with Hermione instead […]

Reading fairy tales can be more thrilling than visiting haunted houses and dungeon attractions. So how scary are fairy tales? Fairy tales and legends had a very long oral history before they began appearing in print. Although all countries have their own tales and legends, reflecting their beliefs and character, many of them have a […]

Reading fairy tales can be more thrilling than visiting haunted houses and dungeon attractions. So how scary are fairy tales? Fairy tales and legends had a very long oral history before they began appearing in print. Although all countries have their own tales and legends, reflecting their beliefs and character, many of them have a […]

I know authors (and readers!) who hate fantasy worldbuilding. They hate it with a fiery passion. They even go so far as to hand wave whole settings, writing books that feel more like a screenplay – all dialogue and fight scenes – and less like fantasy novels. I’d argue that secondary world fantasy writers in […]

I entered the Looking Glass; Saw Redd and now there is an Arch Enemy. I coined this one all by myself and I think it goes well with the meaning and color painted by Beddor in his moving trilogy about Lewis’ Wonderland. Frank Beddor did something that I never thought was possible. He turned Lewis’ […]

Our final destination on our worldwide dragon journey is Europe. I know, I know—not very exciting, is it? But wait! Having looked specifically at Chinese dragons last time, it’s only right and proper to give more “Western” dragons a detailed examination. However, the usual image of a dragon—which is, of course, the traditional Western view […]

For February, our book club has selected The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay. I have heard so much praise for Kay’s books and that his prose is just a joy to read, so I am really looking forward to finally reading one of his books, and even happier that I get to read […]

Whereas Fantasy’s most famous author, J.K. Rowling, has turned to Crime-Fiction, one of Crime’s most well-known authors is turning to fantasy. Late last year, Scholastic issued a press release expressing their excitement at having acquired the rights to publish a novel called The Finisher by Crime Fiction writer, David Baldacci. This was a huge acquisition […]

If you’re interested in the history of Middle-Earth then The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien will surprise and delight you. Not every reader of The Lord of the Rings will love The Silmarillion, but far too few have tried this epic of epics. If you devoured the Appendices in The Return of the King, such as […]