Make it happen!
Hello, denizens of geek! How are things in your corner of the world? In a previous roundup I rambled about the rainy season in Japan, and since posting, a strange phenomenon has taken place in my area: almost no rain. As much as I dislike the rainy season, this isn’t a good thing. I live in the Kikuchi Valley region of Kyushu, which has rich farmland, and we need absolutely need the rainfall for the rice, corn, and the other crops here. So, calling all conjurers and magical beings — please bring the rain!
Speaking of conjurers and magical beings, with a wave of our wand we’ve summoned great authors and articles for you this week! Grab your cloak, hop your broom, and let’s go!
Monday
We’re spellbound by this week’s guest at the MFT — our very own potions master, Andrea Judy! We celebrate Andrea’s writing (as Judy Black) of the Shadow Council series, as well as her upcoming project with OddMix Market. What’s in the cards this week? Why, cards, of course, and games, and RPGs, and games with cards! Get a sense of the magical and mystical by reading about her favorite things here.
Tuesday
Calie continues her world tour of the fantasy genre with her newest entry in her series, Changing the Map. In this month’s post, Calie explores fantasy’s departure from the wild woods, rolling hills, and perilous mountains that dot the traditional fantasy landscape. This post is about the genre’s venture to the city and key works of urban fantasy that changed the terrain for readers. Take a look.
Wednesday
Now that Game of Thrones has left fire and ash in its wake, there’s a scramble to fill the void. Streaming and premium cable networks all have major series in the works, based on sprawling, multi-volume fantasies sourced from books and games. Erin forecasts the upcoming shows (and their potential) with her divination here.
Thursday
Our first post of the day is Nu‘s breakdown of this season (#5!) of Black Mirror, and offers solid feedback on each episode — “Striking Vipers,” “Smithereens,” and “Rachel, Jack, and Ashley, Too.” How does this season compare to the others? How does this season play with Big Ideas? Check out Nu’s post here, and be wary of spoilers along the way.
Second, with the power of prestidigitation, we reveal our J.L.‘s cover for the fifth book in her Steel Empires series, Steel Shadows. We’re excited for her upcoming release, and congrats on the intriguing cover, which you can see here.
Friday
We’re not done with urban fantasy yet! Lane swoops in with a review of Dan Stout’s Titanshade, which blends bug people (really!), strange sorcery, hard-boiled detectives, and more into a smorgasbord of familiar, fun images. Does the mega-blend of tropes sink or swim the novel, or invent something new? Read Lane’s mildly spoilery take here.
Book Club
It’s getting closer to the end of the month, which means we’ll be discussing David Mitchell’s The Bone Clocks soon! Wrap up your reading and get ready for our upcoming discussion! And with July ever-approaching, we’re excited to crack open V. E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic for our next Book Club, and we’re working the back-to-school angle for our August read: think less Harvard and more Hogwarts! As of this post, The Magicians is in the lead — will it be overtaken, or will we officially join our friends at Brakebills? Vote today!
That’s all we have for this week! What will you be doing on the Longest Day? Align some pyramids? Race the dragon boats? Pray at the standing stones? How about a game of midnight baseball in Alaska? Whatever your tradition or plans this year, Happy Summer Solstice from all of us at Speculative Chic!
Photo by Xuan Nguyen on Unsplash.
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