The Fantasy Hive - A U.K. Wonderland
A hub for all things fantasy (plus some SF). Book reviews, games, author interviews, features, serial fiction- you name it. The Fantasy Hive is a collaborative site formed of unique personalities who just want to celebrate fantasy. Btw, the SFF novel to the left by one of our members, Warwick Gleeson, was a "Top 150 Best Books" Kirkus pick in 2019.
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Greetings to you, all ye future corpses. Tis I, Ulesorin the Green, master of three out of the four winds, undisputed champion of the arcane – regardless of what that bitch Gondalion the White says – and most importantly to you, I am the keeper of the secret lore; that which has led to my station as the Uncle of Catastrophy. The Cousin of Despair. The Aunt of Agonies! *** Dear Ulesorin, I am struggling in my current role, the work is great but I have way too much of it. I’ve been headhunted by another mercenary group for better pay and conditions, but leaving would mean I get cursed by the local hedgewitches for the next thousand years. What would you recommend? *…
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Hail to you peasants and pedants, tis I, Ulesorin, returned to you once more in all of my glory. Take a look at the verdant forest green of my accoutrements. Marvel at their richness. Neither the blandness of blue nor the putridity of yellow, but a far finer vestment than either, now that my rightful colours have been returned to me following the ultimate gruesome end of the dread dragon divorce dealings. They are the only thing that I still have from my old home in the free kingdoms. Them and the kobold lawyers on retainer, constantly chittering and whining at me that answering letters from pathetic reprobates on other planes of existence is a term of my public service f…
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Time changes all things. This is a fact irrefutable. It is not the browning of the leaves or the hatching of the salamanders that marks the season’s turn, it is that old bastard time, dragging us ever on. It crumbles your towers and mildews your books and makes once virile adventurers fit for little more than circular conversations regarding the weather. All changes. All fades. All but me. Ulesorin is here. Ulesorin shall be here evermore, when the stars blink shut and the cosmos herself falls asleep Ulesorin shall be there to blow out the candles and wish her a sweet repose. Yet even for I, all things do not continue unchanged. To whit, I must make a confession to you,…
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Greetings to you, mistakes of the gods. I am here now to set your minds at ease. Do not fear, do not fret, Ulesorin has arrived and shall grant each and every one of you a steaming dollop of my indelible wisdom. You lucky, lucky creatures. It has been a long moon turn, and I can tell you that it has been difficult. I have had to mourn the loss of a great many serpentine children, and a substantial draconic lover. Though the latter was trying to murder me. Moreover, it has been absolute murder finding some minions to carry all the gold I’d pillaged from her corpse back to civilisation where I could spend it. Needless to say, I have a new tower under construction in a rat…
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Dearest Readers, There comes a time in every wizard’s life when he feels the weight of the world upon him. When the vast empty tower looming over their domain feels empty no matter how many tomes of boundless lore are stuffed within its shelves. A time when they no longer have any court mandates dictating their movements and actions, and as such they are free to make decisions for themselves once more. In short, my stalwart companions, the time has come for me to select an apprentice from amidst the thronging mass of the unworthy. Someone to whom the full weight of my immense wisdom may be passed down. While I have an abundance of worthy candidates doing their best to …
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Hail to you mortals. Ulesorin speaks, and all shall hearken to his wisdom. The season of storm and flame may have consumed last month’s missive, but this time I have an answer ready, locked and loaded into the interdimensional whizgig to shoot through my crystal ball, directly into your eyeballs, and onward to your grey matter. So let us learn what is the matter, with you. *** Dear Ulesorin, I recently suffered something of a career set back through no fault of my own (I fell in love!). I’ve been offered a great opportunity to rehabilitate my career and get everyone to see what a wonderful quirky kind of guy I am, so obviously I’m going to take it (That’s not the ad…
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Cock thy ears to the voice of ancient wisdom. He who has cast mighty dragons down from the sky and made sweet love to them. He who has thwarted a veritable carnival procession’s worth of dark lords, via a series of catspaws and proxies. He who is called, through the ancient ritual of court enforced community service, to answer your questions when you find that mortal wisdom is insufficient to see you through the tangled maze of confusion in which you find yourselves. *** Hey Ulesorin, Nobody ever gets my jokes. I tell them, and they flop every time. Send magical help please, Laughless in Leattle *** My Dearest Laughless, I must confess that I am all too famil…
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Greetings ye unwashed masses, tis I, Ulesorin, come once again to the page of your lightning box to translate the most magnificent and complex thoughts into drivel that even you ought to understand. *** How’s being a wizard going? Can you do any cool tricks? Thanks *** This month’s question is detestable for a number of reasons. The contempt for the great art of wizardry. The reference to the Greater Spells by which all of reality is bound and wrought as “cool tricks.” Even the complete absence of a return address by which I might have delivered onto my thoughtful reader the kind of curse that would render goats sterile everywhere in a blast radius equivalent to the…
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Greetings to you my distant friends. Well, perhaps not friends. Acquaintances? Kobold! Fetch my thesaurus, I need a word for people that you take care of but do not particularly like. Children? No. I have trouble enough with my own draconic spawn. Minions? They lack the necessary obedience for such a term. Greetings to you my distant wisdom-recipients. It is I, Ulesorin the Green, returned to you once more to expound upon those lessons which I have thus far taught you in a manner unlike apprenticeship but not unlike a distressed mother duck attempting to steer her train of ducklings away from the area of pond that invariably contains some sort of large reptilian awaiting…
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Hearken now, mere mortals, for these are words scribed by no mere amphibian. Nay, this quill be betwixt the elegant if somewhat wrinkled fingers of Ulesorin the Green, mightiest mage in all the lands. The fact that I must don the sewn costuming of a newt on occasions such as every time I wish to leave my private chambers is in now way a reflection on my own newtliness. Yes, my beloved readers, it is true. Using the most tried and tested methods of curse breaking – waiting several months for it to wear off on its own – I have been returned to my bearded and bipedal form, providing me with the very hands that I now use to write this missive. In the beginning, I was of cou…
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“What’s the good of appealing to senseless machinery? The cogs are moving, the engines are slowly gathering momentum, a low humming noise is perceptible even now. How well I recognise every sound, every tremor of the laborious start. The loathsome familiarity of the routine is almost the worst part of it, intolerable and inescapable at the same time, like a sickness inside the blood. This morning it drives me to rebellion, to madness; I want to batter my head on the walls, to shatter my head with bullets to beat the machines into pulp, into powder, along with my skull.” Writer Helen Ferguson had published six books before her marriage ended, she attempted suicide and was…
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Ray Star is a Fantasy author from Essex with a passion for animal rights and eco-living. She can often be found writing, exploring nature and occasionally stargazing underneath a full moon with a tarot deck in one hand and a strong cuppa in the other. Earthlings was conceived from a love for the environment and inspired by her father, whose passing was a catalyst in leading a greener lifestyle. Ray’s dream is to one day open an animal sanctuary and wildlife reserve in memory of her father. Earthlings is Ray’s debut novel and the first book in the Earthlings trilogy. #Earthlings | www.raystarbooks.com | @raystarbooks Many thanks for joining us here at the Fantasy-Hi…
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A.J. Rettger lives on a farm near the small town of Aberdeen Saskatchewan with his dog, Zeke. He has a bachelor’s of education degree, as well as a certificate from a private vocational college. His hobbies include playing Dungeons and Dragons, listening to heavy metal, and reading and writing fantasy books. Oathbreaker is his first book. Welcome to the Hive, A.J. Rettger. Let’s start with the basics: dazzle us with an elevator pitch! Why should readers check out your work? If you love dark and gritty fantasy with lots of gore, you’ll love Oathbreaker! It starts off as a classic fantasy tale where a young knight sets off to live up to his father’s legacy, but…
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Aaron Hodges was born in 1989 in the small town of Whakatane, New Zealand. He studied for five years at the University of Auckland, completing a Bachelors of Science in Biology and Geography, and a Masters of Environmental Engineering. After working as an environmental consultant for two years, he grew tired of office work and decided to quit his job in 2014 and see the world. One year later, he published his first novel – Stormwielder – while in Guatemala. Since then, he has honed his skills while travelling through parts of SE Asia, India, North and South America, Turkey and Europe, and now has over a dozen works to his name. Today, his adventures continue… Website | F…
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Amélie Wen Zhao was born in Paris and grew up in Beijing in an international community. Her multicultural upbringing instilled in her a deep love of global affairs and cross-cultural perspectives. She seeks to bring this passion to her stories, crafting characters from kingdoms in different corners of the world. She attended college in New York City, where she now lives. Amélie is the author of the Blood Heir series: Blood Heir, Red Tigress, and Crimson Reign. Welcome to the Hive, Amélie. Let’s start with the basics: tell us about your trilogy Blood Heir – why should readers check it out? Blood Heir is the story of a princess who believes herself to be a monster beca…
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Ashley Stokes is the author of Gigantic (Unsung Stories, 2021), The Syllabus of Errors (Unthank Books, 2013) and Voice (TLC Press, 2019), and editor of the Unthology series and The End: Fifteen Endings to Fifteen Paintings (Unthank Books, 2016). His recent short fiction includes Subtemple in Black Static; Hardrada in Tales from the Shadow Booth, Vol 4, edited by Dan Coxon; Evergreen in BFS Horizons 11; Two Drifters in Unsung Stories Online, and Black Lab in Storgy. Other stories have appeared in Bare Fiction, The Lonely Crowd, the Warwick Review and more. He lives in the East of England where he’s a ghostwriter and ghost. Welcome back to the Hive, Ashley. Let…
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Credit: Oak Moon Photography Dana Swift started making up fantasy worlds when she was eleven years old and hasn’t stopped since. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned degrees in English and Advertising. While in college, Dana competed as a saber fencer and learned a thing or two about fighting, parrying and how it feels to fall in love with your sparring partner. She currently lives with said husband in Miami, Florida. Her YA Fantasy debut, Cast in Firelight will be published by Delacorte Press January 2021. She is represented by Amy Brewer of Metamorphosis Literary Agency. Welcome to the Hive, Dana Swift. Let’s start small: tell u…
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Daniel Rigby is a BAFTA-winning actor, comedian and writer who works across theatre, TV and film. He is an acclaimed stand up and live comedy performer. Daniel’s television credits include Undercover, Big School, and Black Mirror: The Waldo Moment. In 2011, he won the Leading Actor BAFTA for his portrayal of Eric Morecambe in BBC2’s Eric and Ernie. Daniel has also worked extensively in the theatre, performing as Alan Dangle in the original cast of the hit stage show One Man, Two Guvnors, and as Ian in Holes. In 2015 Daniel starred in Dave’s first original sitcom ‘Undercover’. More recently Daniel has starred in the BBC’s ‘Watership Down’, ITV drama ‘Jericho’, and in the …
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Storyteller at Heart E. G. Creel is currently blooming near Fort Gordon Georgia. Vocationally a photographer, The Immortal is her first written work. Immortal Vikings walking among us? Be taken away on an adventure with The Immortal life or death, the choice is hers. Contemporary fantasy, dark fantasy, urban fantasy. Welcome to the Hive E. G. Creel. Let’s start with the basics: dazzle us with an elevator pitch! Why should readers check out your work Escapism. My stories are great if you’re looking for an entertaining read which can easily be finished in a weekend. The Immortal is an action packed, dark fantasy. Emma just turned forty and has finally decided to …
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Gabriela Houston is a London-based writer. She was born in Poland and raised in a book-loving household on the nourishing diet of mythologies, classics and graphic novels. She had spent much of her early school years holed up in the library, only feeling truly herself in the company of Jack London’s trappers and Lucy Maud Montgomery’s red-headed orphan, among many others. She came to the UK at 19 to follow her passion for literature and she completed her undergraduate and Masters degrees at Royal Holloway, University of London. After her studies she worked in publishing for a few years. She now lives with her family in Harrow, where she pursues her life-long passion for…
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George Mann is a Sunday Times bestselling novelist and scriptwriter. He’s the creator of the Wychwood supernatural mystery series as well as the popular Newbury & Hobbes and Tales of The Ghost series, two of which are in development as television shows. He’s written comics, novels and audio dramas for properties such as Star Wars, Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, Judge Dredd and Dark Souls. He’s currently part of the writer’s room on a forthcoming genre television show. George lives near Grantham, UK, with his wife, children and two noisy dogs. He loves mythology and folklore, Kate Bush and chocolate. He is constantly surrounded by tottering piles of comics and books. …
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J.D.L. Rosell is the bestselling author of the series Legend of Tal, Ranger of the Titan Wilds, The Runewar Saga, The Famine Cycle, and Godslayer Rising. He has earned an MA in creative writing and has previously written as a ghostwriter. Always drawn to the outdoors, he ventures out into nature whenever he can to indulge in his hobbies of hiking and photography. Most of the time, he can be found curled up with a delightful book at home with his wife and two cats, Zelda and Abenthy. To check out his writing for free, you can pick up a series starter story bundle at www.jdlrosell.com. Welcome to the Hive, J.D.L. Rosell. Let’s start with the basics: dazzle us with …
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James D. Priest, M.D., is the author of the four-book KIRINS fantasy series. He majored in English at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. He studied English in the masters program and received a Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Minnesota. He spent three years in Japan as a physician in the U.S. Army caring for casualties from Vietnam, and four years in orthopedic residency at Stanford University. He practiced orthopedics in Minneapolis for twenty-one years. He has authored or co-authored approximately thirty medical articles and received the Minnesota Medicine Outstanding Writing Award. Website: www.kirinbooks.com Welcome to the Hive, James. Let’s s…
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Jane Routley has published 6 books and won two Aurealis Awards for Best Fantasy Novel. Her seventh book is Shadow in the Empire of Light. She has had a variety of careers, including fruit picker and occult librarian and she lived in Germany and Denmark for a decade. She recounts her experiences doing customer service at a railway station in the blog “Station Stories”. She is a keen climate activist and player of Fantasy Role Playing games. Welcome to the Hive, Jane Routley. Let’s start with the basics: dazzle us with an elevator pitch! Why should readers check out your work? Shadow in the Empire of Light has been described as modern Jane Austen with mag…
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JEFF NOON is an award-winning British novelist, short story writer and playwright. He won the Arthur C Clarke Award for Vurt, the John W Campbell award for Best New Writer, a Tinniswood Award for innovation in radio drama and the Mobil prize for playwriting. He was trained in the visual arts, and was musically active on the punk scene before starting to write plays for the theatre. His previous book, The Body Library, was nominated for the Philip K Dick Award. Welcome to the Hive, Jeff. Firstly, congratulations on your lovely cover for Within Without! Were you involved much in the design process with Glen Wilkins? What was your reaction when you saw the final c…
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