The genres of fantasy and science fiction literature have often been associated with male authors (with notable exceptions like Ursula Le Guin and Octavia Butler). That trend, however, has shifted in recent years, with many of the most celebrated and award-winning sci-fi authors being women and non-binary writers. So, let’s explore some of the very …
Literature
Is there anything better than a bookish gift? So many of us grew up as bookworms: living in fantasy worlds, escaping reality through the pages of our books, and much of that was because the real world just doesn’t measure up. But these days, we have thousands of creative bookworms out there bringing to life …
There are a lot of different ways to read manga in English translation. Two popular ways are to buy tankobon volumes at bookshops or online, or to read manga on the Shonen Jump app via your phone or tablet. A third way to read manga is by buying and using an eReader (a Kingle, Kobo, …
The genre of yuri manga is always expanding, and at an increasing rate. While there have been classic girls’ love manga for decades, we are now very spoiled for choice. However, just like with straight romance manga and BL manga, you need to separate the wheat from the chaff in order to find the most …
Light novels are a huge and popular medium in Japan, and increasingly so in the West as well. The more good ones pour in, however, the harder it gets to sift through and find the best light novels to read. What you’ll find here is a selection of the best light novels currently available in …
When we hear tales of myths and folklore, we often think of Norse and Greek mythology. But British folklore, legends, and myth are nothing short of enchanting. In our list of British books, you’ll discover folktales, meet mystical creatures, learn British songs, and more. Take a journey through wooded forests, mystical places, and beautiful countrysides. …
It’s often the great European and American mystery writers of the 19th and 20th centuries — writers like Agatha Christie, Edgar Allan Poe, and Arthur Conan Doyle — whom we first turn to when looking for a great detective novel. However, the truth is that the Japanese mystery novels (honkaku) of the 20th century and …
There is something special about a short book. It is humble in its smallness; the author seems to say “this is the extent of my idea, and I hope you enjoy it anyway.” The short book is also a challenging medium, as there is no room for filler or fluff, and each word must be …
Seinen manga covers a wide variety of genres. In fact, it’s a type of manga that isn’t restricted by genre boundaries at all. But that has nothing to do with quality. And so, irrespective of genre or age, quality is still quality, and the best seinen manga can be found across all genres of manga. …
Japanese folktales have had an enormous impact on the history of fiction and storytelling, not only in their native Japan, but across the world. Now, in collaboration with Short Shorts Film Festival and Japan Cultural Expo, three young contemporary Japanese writers from Okinawa, Hiroshima, and Kumamoto have each written a short story inspired by traditional …