Wheel of Time, Short Epic Fantasy, and Pet Peeves for Bookworms

To view this email as a web page, go [here.]( [Tor.com Newsletter]( [Forward to a Friend]( [A photo of books laying open]( WHAT ARE YOU READING? [Five Readerly Pet Peeves (That Have Nothing To Do With Storytelling)]( There are so many odd little things that can distract or take us out of the experience of reading a book–none of which are under the author’s control, and which may vary wildly from person to person. Here, James Davis Nicoll shares a few of his (admittedly highly subjective) pet peeves as a lifelong bookworm, from unfamiliar covers to inconsistently updated editions. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [a collection of novella covers]( BANG FOR YOUR BUCK [Exploring the Fine Art of Short Epic Fantasy]( Those of us who love epic fantasy tend to love a doorstopper: pages and pages of worldbuilding to get lost in, complex magic systems, and a cast of characters. But what happens when a writer has less than 40,000 words to build a world? Howard Andrew Jones and Todd McAulty chat about epic fantasy in short form, from the Golden Age of classic fix-up novels to the present. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [A photo of a mirror laying in grass, reflecting the sky above]( FANTASY & REALITY [Mirror, Mirror in the Ward]( There are few things more elementally fairy tale than mirrors. From classic fairy tales like Grimm’s “Snow White” and Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” to ancient myths, there is an intrinsically magical quality to mirrors. Yet they are almost overwhelmingly sinister objects—as they are in life, too. In this personal essay, Ava Reid discusses her experience with mental illness and eating disorders, and the nature of mirrors. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [An illustration of a woman plagued by goblins and faeries]( SHAKE ON IT [Five Books With Devilishly Dangerous Fairy Deals]( True love. Straw spun into gold. The skill of a master carpenter. Fairy tales and folklore are filled with stories of fey bargains and goblin merchants that have the power to grant your heart’s desire…or make your worst nightmares come true. Is it any wonder that many modern fantasists have taken up this thread of story and woven it into their own tales? Trip Galey shares five contemporary tales that feature fairy deals—be sure to read the fine print! [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [the wheel of time logo]( THE DRAGON RENEWED [Breaking Down The Wheel of Time Season 2]( The first four episodes of The Wheel of Time season two have dropped so far, and all in all, they are glorious. It’s time to get back to the search for the Dragon Reborn. Find Sylas K. Barrett’s reviews of all the new episodes here! [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [a photo of a ship's wheel]( O CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN [Five SFF Captains I Would Follow to Hell and Back]( In any situation, there are leaders and there are followers. Our favorite SFF captains have an unshakeable confidence about them—a knowledge that their power and decisions are capable of changing the world, and that there are always risks and costs involved. They do their duty bearing this burden, and get their crews to follow them to the ends of the earth. Cole Rush shares five favorite SFF captains. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [An collection of screencaps from comic book movies]( SSSSMOKIN'! [Not Your Average Superhero Movie: Seven Offbeat Comic Book Adaptations]( Feeling a bit beaten down by the constant stream of big-budget, blockbuster superhero films that have been ruling the box office for the last fifteen years or so? You’re not alone. But there’s good news: there are plenty of other films based on comic books and graphic novels already out there—and not all of them feature superheroes! Randee Dawn shares a few favorite offbeat comic book adaptations. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [A screencap from Good Omens season 2]( BILDAD THE SHUHITE [How Good Omens Queers the Bible]( Good Omens is a forked tongue stuck out at conformity and obedience to religion. While the book focuses primarily on Aziraphale and Crowley’s attempt to stop the Apocalypse because they enjoy life on Earth, both seasons of the show use some of their screentime to apply some fairly sharp elbows to the Hebrew Bible’s ribs. Scholar Leah Schnelbach takes a look at how Good Omens season 2 became a queer Midrash. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( GO GO POWER RANGERS [The Unspoken Queerness in Saban’s Power Rangers]( It’s clear to see why the Power Rangers might appeal to queer people: Found family connects these characters to generations of Rangers stretching across time, the Rangers fight to save the world without revealing their identities, and the Ranger aesthetics are particularly androgynous. But it’s a throwaway line in the 2017 Power Rangers film that really hits home, especially for author Jen St. Jude. Here, she shares her personal connection to the Power Rangers mythos, and why something not said can actually speak volumes to queer youth. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( ORIGINAL FICTION [“The Passing of the Dragon” by Ken Liu]( A woman who fears she’s failing as a painter and as an artist seeks inspiration from one of her favorite poets and finds something even more wondrous, but also more impossible to capture on canvas… [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( Follow Tor.com to get updates on all of our original fiction. FOLLOW US: [Follow Us on Facebook]( [Follow Us on Twitter]( [Follow Us on Tumblr]( [Follow Us on Pinterest]( This email was sent by: Macmillan 120 Broadway New York, NY, 10271, US We respect your right to privacy - [view our policy]( Macmillan believes piracy hurts writers, readers and everyone who loves books. Learn more and report suspicious activity [here.]( To subscribe to this or other email communications from Macmillan, please click [here](. Visit our [profile center]( to update your email address and/or other information. 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