Ask anyone with at least one eye on world literature in translation which countries are putting out the most groundbreaking novels, and they will likely mention South Korea. Korean novels frequently bend and break genres, explore often untouched social and political themes, and speak to our very souls. If you’re looking for the best Korean …
Willow Heath
Fantasy books are, more often than not, very epic things. Expansive worlds with entire histories, all built out of the imaginations of a single author. When you have a fictional fantasy world with its own laws, politics, lore, traditions, and geography, it makes sense to want to make a series out of it. For that …
British author Sir Terry Pratchett transformed the world of fantasy fiction with his Discworld. Much like how Douglas Adams injected humour and absurdism into science fiction, without removing any of the philosophy and political allegories, Pratchett did the same with fantasy. But when he passed, Sir Terry left us with forty-one Discworld novels; and if …
Fantasy is a colossal genre that has had an enormous impact on the lives of its readers and fans. This is a fiercely beloved genre that goes far beyond literature. For these reasons, selecting the best fantasy books of all time is a tall order, as is simply defining what fantasy actually is. Originally inspired …
Translated from the Japanese by Sharni Wilson Winner of the 9th Book Shorts Award, hosted by the Short Shorts Film Festival and ASIA, Sunset Road is a humbling, tear-jerking short story about family and forgiveness. Sunset Road is a short story inspired by the Japanese children’s song Kono Michi (This Road), and traces the memories …
We should all be feminists. This is a simple truth. Being an active feminist, as well as an anti-racist and anti-queerphobic, is how we make a society to be proud of. Regardless of who you are and what gender you are, one of the best ways to be a better feminist is to read feminist …
It’s hard to ignore the fact that, historically, the genres of sci-fi and fantasy have been dominated by straight, white men, with a few notable exceptions. Over the past few years, however, there has been a colourful shift to queer fantasy and sci-fi books, and books of that genre written by incredible women and authors …
Science fiction is both an exciting and a vitally important genre of fiction — across literature, film, and video games — for countless reasons. The best sci-fi books offer writers and readers the opportunity to flex their imaginations, to ask colossal questions about philosophy and existentialism. This is what the best sci-fi books provide us. …
If you visit the website of The Venice Beach House, the first words you see will read: “Feels like home”. Nothing sums up the warm, comforting, and sublime experience of staying for a few nights at The Venice Beach House. This historic building, established back in 1911, sits on the edge of the ocean, just …
Gothic fiction is a genre with an incredible legacy, but it’s also one that is seeing an exciting modern revival. Since its beginnings in the late 18th Century, the gothic genre has grown and changed, having a hand in the creations of horror and science fiction. As such, gothic novels are at once broad in …