Tag Archives: fantasy

'Doctor Sleep' is unmistakably a “kickass” story and so much more. Stephen King clearly loves much of humanity with all the passion of Walt Whitman and points to paths of love and forgiveness with a quiet profundity.

'Antigoddess' takes us through an exciting tale of present-day alliances and rivalries among the gods with a thrilling conclusion and promise of more to come. In addition to a fun read for the teen set, Kendare Blake also provides a deeper, more adult layer of interest.

'The Land Across' does not aim for greatness. But it is an entertaining mystery, well-paced and solidly-plotted. Wolfe weaves a number of strands together in a complex story that delivers in the end.

I loved the idea behind 'Writing Fantasy Heroes,' and it has some good advice for writers, but the execution left something to be desired. I recommend using it more as a reference book than something you read from cover to cover.

Though it's not presented as a thriller, 'DoG' by Matt Hlinak is a compelling page turner from the get-go. I'd be lying if I said the ending didn't wrap things up a little too quickly and neatly for my liking, but that wouldn't hold me back from recommending this book.

'Turbulence' is entertaining and full of funny, knowing witticisms that could only come from a genuine, longtime fan of comics and superheroes. Besides, it’s refreshing to see the fate of the world, for once, hang in the balance of non-Western characters.

'The Ocean at the End of the Lane' is a fairy tale, yet one in which all of the characters, even those who are immortal or monstrous, are well-rounded and driven by their own motivations. Gaiman captures the elusive experience of childhood in this clever little book.

Amanda Sun does a great job describing the foreign setting and customs using language that younger readers will likely enjoy and find compelling, and the narrative is breezy and readable. Unfortunately, 'Ink' also suffers from some pacing issues.

One of America’s most iconic films illuminates the concept of non-violence and offers it as a viable solution to the self-perpetuating cycle of violence. I am speaking of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

Martin’s great strength is his ability to flesh out all of his characters by regularly shifting point of view.

Tea Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife is a brilliant modern fable. This is magical realism at its finest.

Choice is the most powerful force in the universe, not prophecy, not destiny, not bad genes or traumatic experiences, not anything. Hellboy chooses to be good, to resist the darker impulses that are wired within him.

A step forward from 2010’s Alice in Wonderland, Oz: The Great and Powerful is able to mix beautiful cinematography with a well-constructed story and well-developed characters. Where Alice failed, Oz comes on strong and is an example of what Disney should continue to do if the company decides to continually remake the classic …

The Hobbit is a greater technical achievement than its predecessors (or successors really), but nowhere near matching their depth of story.

Serious fans of fantasy, children's and classic literature really should read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, if they haven't already, as it is part of that wellspring from which all modern fantasy comes from.