Katherine Arden’s “The Winternight Trilogy” is an enchanting journey into 14th century Russia, masterfully blending historical reality with folklore. Arden, an American author who lived in Russia, crafts a narrative that is as immersive as it is impressive, particularly given her young age at the time of writing the first book.
Book Summaries:
1. The Bear and the Nightingale: This book introduces Vasya, a young woman with the rare ability to see and interact with magical creatures. The story sets the stage for the conflict between traditional Russian folklore and the Orthodox Church, embodied in the tension between Vasya and the zealot priest Konstantin.
2. The Girl in the Tower: The second book sees Vasya venturing beyond her village, challenging societal norms and expectations. Her journey intertwines with larger political dynamics and continues to explore the clash between ancient beliefs and emerging religious doctrines.
3. The Winter of The Witch: The final installment culminates in the lead-up to a significant historical event, marking the unification of various tribes into what would become Russia. Here, the series reaches its climax, with Vasya playing a pivotal role in the unfolding events.
Arden’s portrayal of 14th century Russia is unflinchingly honest, capturing its brutal and misogynistic aspects. The series, while marketed as adult fantasy, can also resonate with older young adults, thanks to its thoughtful balance of violence and sexual content.
“The Winternight Trilogy” is a testament to Arden’s ability to weave historical authenticity with magical realism. It stands out as a poignant reminder of the power of storytelling in bridging the past with the present, and the fantastical with the real.
Personal Note on Current Events:
In light of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it’s important to acknowledge the historical context that shapes our understanding of these nations. While this series celebrates Russian folklore and history, it’s also crucial to stand in solidarity with Ukraine in the current crisis. I hope for a peaceful resolution to this conflict and extend my support to all those affected by these tragic events.
If you want to learn about more books like this, don’t forget to sign up for my VIP Reader’s Club for more book reviews, articles about slavic lore, and updates on my current works in progress. As a Thank You for signing up for my Reader’s Club, you will receive a FREE short story from me, showcasing my own work in this slavic fantasy world.
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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.
Monsters and Morals: From Polish Folklore to Fantasy Phenomenon
No book blog about Polish-inspired fantasy could be complete without mentioning The Witcher Series by Andrzej Sapkowski, who has a huge international cult following and is probably one of the most famous Polish writers of our time.
Andrzej Sapkowski’s “The Witcher” series is a remarkable foray into the depths of fantasy, blending the traditional with the unique. Set in a fairy-tale medieval Europe, the series revolves around Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher – a genetically enhanced sword-for-hire tasked with slaying monsters. However, his adventures delve into the complexities of justice, good, and evil.
The series is enriched with a cast of compelling characters: the powerful sorceress Yennefer, the enigmatic Ciri, a warrior-princess with the ability to traverse time and space, and Dandelion, Geralt’s loyal friend and minstrel.
The Series at a Glance:
The Last Wish — A short story collection, which is commonly recommended as a starting point to the series. The first season of the Netflix serial “The Witcher” is based on this book. The timeline of this first collection (and season 1) is fragmented.
Sword of Destiny — A short story collection, often recommended as book of the series, since it continues many of the stories from The Last Wish.
Blood of Elves — A full-length novel, continuing the story of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri.
Lady of the Lake — Often seen as the final novel in The Witcher saga, Ciri has entered another dimension, where she seem to travel through time.
Season of Storms — This short story collection is seen as a kind of epilogue to the Witcher saga.
The novels are a deep dive into Polish mythology, bringing to life creatures like strzygas and kikimoras. This aspect was particularly fascinating, offering a glimpse into a rich, less-explored mythological world.
However, the series is marked by intense violence, catering to an adult audience. (Read: NOT FOR KIDS.)
A striking difference from the television adaptation is the portrayal of Geralt. In the books, he is far from the stoic figure seen on screen. Instead, he’s a deeply philosophical and talkative character, often engaging in profound discussions with Dandelion about morality. This introspective version of Geralt adds layers to the character and the narrative, enriching the reader’s experience.
Sapkowski’s series is more than a fantasy saga; it’s a complex exploration of philosophical themes, set against a backdrop of rich Slavic folklore and relentless action. While the graphic violence might not be for everyone, the series offers a unique and engaging experience, especially for those intrigued by the depth and diversity of European mythology.
If you want to learn about more books like this, don’t forget to sign up for my VIP Reader’s Club for more book reviews, articles about slavic lore, and updates on my current works in progress. As a Thank You for signing up for my Reader’s Club, you will receive a FREE short story from me, showcasing my own work in this slavic fantasy world.
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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.
Contracts and Consequences: Beyond Rumpelstiltskin
In Spinning Silver, Naomi Novik weaves a compelling tapestry that reimagines the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, infusing it with profound themes of debt, the complexities of contracts, and communal ramifications. This novel, one of my favorite among Novik’s works, is a masterpiece of storytelling, resonating deeply with its exploration of historical and cultural themes.
At the heart of the story are three remarkable female protagonists.
Miryem Mandelstam, a young Jewish girl, takes over her father’s failing moneylending business, showcasing an acute business acumen that not only saves her family but also draws the attention of supernatural beings.
Wanda, a strong village girl, becomes Miryem’s assistant, offering a perspective grounded in the hardships of poverty.
Irina, a Duke’s daughter, faces a demonic threat in her betrothal to a possessed tsar, adding a layer of political intrigue and danger.
The story masterfully intertwines these women’s lives, as they challenge societal norms and navigate a world rife with prejudice. Novik’s narrative skillfully addresses anti-Semitic themes through Miryem’s experiences, drawing a parallel to the historical treatment of Jewish moneylenders. The Staryk king, embodying a harsh winter, symbolizes the natural and supernatural challenges they face, while the demon Chernobog adds an element of chaos and danger.
What sets Spinning Silver apart is its deep exploration of what it means to pay one’s debts, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. The novel delves into the intricate nature of contracts, highlighting how agreements can have unforeseen and dangerous consequences for individuals and their communities. This exploration is done with a sensitivity and intelligence that brings a new depth to the familiar fairy tale.
The novel is suitable for young adult readers, balancing its darker themes with an absence of overt sexuality or violence. The romantic elements are subtly woven into the narrative, enhancing the story without overpowering it. Novik’s storytelling is nothing short of masterful, with a narrative that is both intricate and accessible, full of heart and rich in detail.
Spinning Silver is a testament to Naomi Novik’s skill as a storyteller and her ability to breathe new life into old tales. It’s a book that challenges and enthralls, perfect for those who appreciate a story that combines historical depth with magical wonder. I highly recommend Spinning Silver to fans of Novik’s work and to anyone looking for a novel that combines rich storytelling with meaningful themes.
If you want to learn about more books like this, don’t forget to sign up for my VIP Reader’s Club for more book reviews, articles about slavic lore, and updates on my current works in progress. As a Thank You for signing up for my Reader’s Club, you will receive a FREE story from me, showcasing my own work in this slavic fantasy world.
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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.
A Tale Woven from the Threads of Friendship, Magic, and Slavic Lore
Every so often, a book comes along that feels like a revelation, a window into worlds unknown yet strangely familiar. Naomi Novik’s Uprooted is one such rare gem. It’s a story steeped in Slavic folklore, infused with a magic that’s both exhilarating and terrifying.
For me, it was more than just a read; it re-ignited and validated a passion for Polish and Slavic fantasy that I had ignored for far too long.
Uprooted whisks us away to a world where magic is as real as the earth underfoot, and danger lurks in the malevolent Wood bordering a quiet village. Every ten years, the Dragon, a powerful wizard, takes a young woman from the village as payment for protecting them.
The story unfolds through the eyes of Agnieszka, an unlikely heroine chosen by the Dragon. But this is no simple tale of heroism; it’s a complex weave of friendship, loyalty, and the battle against an encroaching, corrupting evil.
Novik’s narrative is a masterpiece of storytelling, blending a rich, character-driven plot with a vividly realized magical world. The Slavic myths of dragons, haunted forests, walking trees, and Baba Yagas woven into the story sparked a new appreciation and hunger for this genre in me, much like discovering a hidden path in a well-trodden forest.
For readers who like a little romance in their fantasy, there is definitely some enemies-to-lovers sexual tension going on between Agnieszka and the Dragon. (There is some sexual content, so this book is probably for adults.)
However, one of my favorite parts of the book was the deep, loyal friendship between Agnieszka and her best friend Kasia. Their loyalty and support for each other, in a world that’s falling apart, resonated deeply with me. As a writer and reader who cherishes strong, complex female relationships in literature, Uprooted felt like a treasure trove.
Novik’s skill lies in her ability to create a world that’s immersive and fully realized, and in creating female characters that are heroic, practical, and full of heart. Her writing is clever, masterful, and imbued with compassion that’s often missing in high-concept fantasy.
For those of us who have followed her work, Uprooted stands out as a testament to her prowess as a storyteller. Her exploration of Slavic mythology is not just a backdrop but an integral part of the narrative, making the story rich and authentically grounded in folklore.
In Uprooted, Novik has crafted a narrative that feels both timeless and timely. The infusion of Slavic lore into the fantasy genre provides a fresh perspective, filling a gap many of us didn’t know existed. It’s a reminder of the power of stories to transcend boundaries, offering a glimpse into a rich cultural tapestry that’s often overlooked in mainstream fantasy.
Uprooted by Naomi Novik is more than just a fantasy novel; it’s a journey into the heart of folklore, friendship, and the fight against darkness. Its blend of Slavic mythology with compelling characters makes it a must-read for fans of the genre.
If you, like me, are captivated by stories that weave magic with realism and bring folklore to life, then Uprooted will not disappoint.
If you want to learn about more books like this, don’t forget to sign up for my VIP Reader’s Club for more book reviews, articles about slavic lore, and updates on my current works in progress. As a Thank You for signing up for my Reader’s Club, you will receive a FREE short story from me, showcasing my own work in this slavic fantasy world.
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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.
Welcome to the beginning of 2024! Hurray! I’m still alive! And if you are reading this, then you are still alive too!
I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on some of my milestones and accomplishments of last year.
I’m not a full-time writer, so the writing I do is mostly woven in and out of my other responsibilities. But I have identified as a writer and storyteller since I was 9 years old, and I have been working steadily towards that passion ever since then.
What We Talk About When We Talk About the Apocalypse…coming January 30, 2024!
I drew illustrations for my forthcoming short story collection, What We Talk About When We Talk About The Apocalypse. You can read about my artistic process and view some of the drawings in this blog post here. I loved the process of illustrating my short stories, and I think that I definitely plan on continuing to incorporate art into my future works somehow.
My manuscript for What We Talk About is finally finished!
Here is a photo of me holding a sample copy, which arrived just in time for Christmas. I have a few little proofreading edits to make, but the book will live and be ready for sale on Amazon, January 30, 2024.
It’s very exciting to finally have a publication date! This collection has been a labor of love, encompassing the last 17 years of my work, and it’s so exciting to have all my stories from a particular era of my life collected in one spot.
One of the short stories from that collection, “Prove It” was published online at Club Chixculub. You can read or listen to me reading the story here, on their website, along with many other wonderful short stories. I have to say, I love the spooky music the editors have behind the audio-recordings of the short stories.
Experiments with ChatGPT
I was interviewed for “The Imaginary Possible” podcast about my experiences with ChatGPT. You can read my blog post about it and find a link to listen to the interview.
I have to say, the more I play around with ChatGPT, the more excited I get about its potential. I have been experimenting with integrating it more into my workflow, in various different aspects of my writing. (Although this blog post was written completely by me.)
As part of my son’s 4th grade schoolwork, he and I co-wrote a middle grade fantasy chapter book with ChatGPT4. This is part of the California Common Core requirements to take a piece of writing from concept to publication — but it was also a wonderful opportunity for us to learn how to blend our human skills with this new technology.
This project was really interesting, because I have never co-written a book with anyone before. (My only co-writing experiences are from school, where I ended up doing all the work and the bums I was partnered with took half the credit.) It was interesting to co-write with my own child and with an AI. It was delightful!
The majority of the credit for this project belongs to my son. He was the director, the creative engineer, the final decision-maker. It was his story idea, his vision. My role was basically to act as a typist, and as a facilitator, guiding my son through asking ChatGPT the right questions.
We told Chat our concept and asked it to create an outline for us. We edited the outline until we liked the story. Then, we drafted the book, one scene at a time, by adding our ideas to our day’s scene, and then asking Chat to fill in the rest.
The results were surprisingly good! Definitely on par with some of the Scholastic chapter books my son has checked out from the library.
After the first draft was done, we took the book through several editing passes, and multiple Beta readers to get their feedback. We are considering adding illustrations to the book and hoping to publish it in 2024.
I can absolutely see what a major disruptive technology Large Language Models like ChatGPT are going to be for creativity and education. For certain types of work, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between what was written by a human and what was written by a computer.
In a lot of ways, it reminds me of a book I read a few years ago called The Most Human Human: What Talking to Computers Teaches Us About What It Means To Be Alive, by Brian Christian. I read this book many years ago, but it feels incredibly prescient. In this non-fiction book, the author talks about the Turing test and how it is inevitable that computers would pass it (which AI has) and that his personal challenge in taking the test in 2009 was to come across as more human than the computers.
We humans liked to separate ourselves from other animals by saying that we could “reason” better than they could. Where do we fit now that we have created machines that can reason better than us?
I’m definitely thinking about revisiting this book.
In the past few months of playing with ChatGPT, it’s definitely clear that it’s going to replace some jobs — probably a lot of jobs. And that’s scary.
I have no idea what the future holds, but I’m hoping that AI will help create more new opportunities than it will destroy.
I think I’d be more freaked out if wasn’t so darn helpful.
For example, I’m really excited about ChatGPT’s illustration function that it can do. I’m a passable artist, but I can definitely see myself using illustrations in places where I wouldn’t have used illustrations before. I’ve asked ChatGPT to help me with my fiction writing by helping me outline a new series I’m noodling on. I’ve asked it to help edit my scenes. I’ve asked it for help in generating marketing material. It’s just so useful. The more I play with it, the better I get asking it the right questions so that I get the result I want.
I have been planning my own “career pivot” with my fiction writing.
My 17-Year Creative Pivot
For years, I’ve been struggling to define myself as a writer and to make a specific decision about my audience and my voice. I waffled between literary, contemporary, fantasy, horror, and romance.
During the past two years of working on my short story collection, I have been doing some soul-searching on what my personal “Id list” is. The term “Id list” is based on Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s lecture to the romance Writers Association about finding what sparks joy for you and writing that. (Fans of Marie Kondo’s Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up will also be familiar with the “sparks joy” concept.)
Going through my bookshelves in 2021, I found out that a lot of the books I read did not spark joy. Most of them felt like homework. So I donated them all, and started only reading books that excite me.
And you know what? I read so many more books once I started picking books that gave me pleasure rather than books I felt like I was supposed to read in order to seem smart and writerly. In 2022 I read more than 140 books, and in 2023, I read more than 120 books. That’s more than double than what I previously read each year!
I also created a master list of all my story ideas — more than 500 of them! I held each idea, and started asking myself if I actually wanted to write this, or if it was just a fleeting thought that appealed to me intellectually, but which had no passion connected with it.
The more I interrogated my own ideas — particularly by trying out some concepts in the form of outlining, or scenes, or as short stories — the better I got at determining which ideas really thrilled me, and which ideas I was ready to let go of.
I had been holding on to some of those project ideas for a long time. Years.
And I’ll be honest: it felt really liberating to quit some of them.
The fastest way to finish a project is to quit it.
I know some people feel tremendous sadness at the thought of quitting a project—especially if it’s one they’ve nurtured for a long time. But for me, quitting most of these ideas felt like a huge relief. I was no longer shackled to the brain-children of my twenty-year-old self. I am a vastly different woman now than I was then. At last, I’m free to pursue the things that excite me now, today.
I think part of my easy-come, easy-go attitude comes from the fact that I have so many ideas. There’s more where that came from. Ideas are limitless. It’s time that is limited.
I still wanted to pay honor my past. And that is where my collection What We Talk About comes in. This book is an homage to past experiences and anxieties. This is the best of what 20-37-year-old me could come up with. These are the finest gems. The darkest, most haunting tales. And I’m so proud of that project.
But I’m also looking forward to what I will be doing next.
During NaNoWriMo, I started writing a new collection of short stories, tentatively titled Beads of Amber. These stories are Polish-inspired fairy tales, historical fantasy, and speculative fantasy stories inspired by some of the bedtime stories I remember being told by my mother and grandmother.
I’m reluctant to give it a publication deadline, but this is definitely the direction I see myself going in the future.
I’ve also started brainstorming a fairy tale romance series set in this Central European fantasy world, specifically having to do with the local legends of certain cities. The Dragon of Krakow. The Mermaid of Warsaw. That type of thing.
To keep you readers in the loop of my changing focus, I’ve been doing my best to blog a little more regularly. I’ve been blogging almost weekly since October, and this is a habit I hope to continue.
I hope to provide more book reviews of books that have a similar focus to what I’m working on, so that while you wait for me to write my next book, you can find a sampling of other works that I find inspiring, and which have a similar focus to the projects I’m working on.
I’m also toying around with doing a sort of “Monster Guide” blog series of all the fantastic Slavic fairy creatures I’m learning about. I’m tentatively planning on titling it Slavic Spirits, and it’s a project I hope to launch in 2024.
If you are interested in following along on my journey, please consider signing up for my Reader’s Club newsletter. As a Thank You, I’ll send you a free copy of one of the short stories that will be included in my Beads of Amber collection.
I hope your new year holds many wonderful things for you.
Are fairy creatures really aliens from another universe?
Imagine a world where fairy creatures aren’t just myths, but hostile aliens from a parallel universe. This is the brilliantly bizarre reality of Mercedes Lackey’s “Hunter Trilogy,” a page-turning blend of fantasy and young adult post-apocalyptic fiction. This concept of fairies, elves, mages, and other magical creatures being from the “Otherlands” should be familiar to anyone who is a fan of portal fantasy and multiverse parallel universe fantasy. Mercedes Lackey adds an interesting spin to it by setting her story in post-apocalyptic America.
This series would especially appeal readers who liked Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games and Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series, as it has a similar dystopian flavor.
In the Hunter series, which includes Hunter, Elite, and Apex, Lackey introduces us to a dystopian Earth where the boundaries between worlds have thinned, unleashing a horde of mythological creatures intent on eating humans and kidnapping their children.
In this chaos, Hunters, elite warriors with magical abilities, are humanity’s last line of defense in protecting the dwindling human population from invading magical beasts.
The protagonist, Joyeaux Charmand, is a teenage Hunter who navigates this dangerous new world with a mix of bravery, practicality, and wisdom. Through her eyes, we experience the thrill and terror of combating otherworldly beings, while also grappling with the backstabbing politics of her ratings-driven society.
For readers who aren’t yet familiar with Mercedes Lackey’s work, I definitely recommend the Hunter series as an entry-point.
Diving into Mercedes Lackey’s extensive bibliography, it’s clear why she has been called one of the most prolific fantasy authors of all time.
As I perused her backlist, I was surprised to find a bunch of books I had read as a teenager, including Elvenbane, which was co-written with Andre Norton, and Lackey’s hugely popular Valdemar universe, which is a cornerstone of the fantasy genre. Lackey’s ability to continuously produce compelling, diverse narratives is a testament to her unwavering creativity and dedication to the fantasy genre.
Even though Mercedes Lackey will write many books in a fantasy world, she will often write in trilogies, so you can dip your toe into one of her worlds, enjoy a complete series arc in three books, and if you decide you like it there are plenty more in that world to enjoy.
One of her series that I’m looking forward to reading more of is her Elemental Masters series, which are historical fantasy re-telling of fairy tales, but set during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
For those interested in exploring more of her imaginative universe, a visit to her website offers a gateway to her literary world.
If you would like more book recommendations like this, consider signing up for my Reader’s Club. As a thank you gift, you will receive a free short story from me, along with updates on my works in progress every month or so.
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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.
