Heroes, Villains—Villains, Heroes

Heroes are memorable. Heroes save the day. Heroes are who we want to be. But what about those villains we love to hate? They're heroes in their own eyes which is why this week we’re asking: 

Which fictional villain would you write a redemption arc for if copyright and trademarks weren’t a thing?

If you love epic fantasy that’s norse inspired, you need to pick up Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long. It speaks of loss, found strength, and honor. Also, there’s axes and gods, and friendships that surprise you—so many good things! 

But what I really loved about this book was Eang, the Goddess of War. Eang is the god that the MC, Hessa, is devoted to. Throughout Hessa’s story, Eang, either in her owl form, formless voice, or goddess shaped, lead and direct Hessa to battle the Old Gods that are waking and wreaking havoc on mankind. 

Old Gods, bad! Eang, good! But wait…the veil is torn from Hessa’s eyes and she sees the souls of her fellow vestiges within her goddess, providing Eang power and prolonged life! Hessa wakes up and [spoiler]. Yeah, that’s right. You’ve gotta read the book to find out what happens between Hessa and Eang. 

I love what H.M. Long did with Hall of Smoke. She took a goddess and her acolyte, pitted them against some seriously powerful beings, and then turned the tables. So, I’m choosing Eang as the villain I’d write a redemption arc for because she’s so incredible, and complex, and she has reasons. We all want villains that have reasons, a purpose, behind their decisions that make them steal/lie/cheat/do evil things. Eang has all of that and more. 

One of the ‘and more’ things is her son, Ogam. Because if I were to write Eang’s story from her point of view, Ogam would have to be part of it and he is a handsome trickster who lands in the grey zone—a little more black and a little more white depending on the situation. Seriously, if I haven’t mentioned that you need to read this book, do so if only to read about Ogam alone! 

Back to the villain. The soul stealer. The vengeful, unrighteous god. Eang would be so much fun to write, to look through her eyes and see the world of small men and the strength she wields to hold it. 

Hannah, I love your writing and your characters! If you ever want to share Eang, I’ll be over here dreaming! If not, I’ll keep scanning the trees for the owl! 

Fantasy Genres - the Creepier, the Better

This is going to read rough. I'm coming down off a weird viral thing (not Covid, believe me, I tested more than once) that had me asleep for 36 hours straight. Today is the first day I've been upright without tipping over. No warranty express or implied, I'm afraid. I have the mental acuity of a lettuce.

Genre Love

How am I supposed to pick my favorite fantasy genres? I like them all. I grew up consuming mostly epic, other worldly fantasy. You know the kind. Knights, horses, swords, vast spooky forests to cross before the evil on the other side can be conquered. Sprinkled into that were the contemporary world colliding with inexplicable bits of magic. These were usually YA books.

Interestingly, there was no urban fantasy when I was reading in my youth. If a fictional world spoke of the future near or far at all, it was in terms of science. I don't know where the switch in the zeitgeist came about but I know that urban fantasy hit my radar while I was still in high school in the early 80s. Charles de Lint introduced me to the bare edges of the urban fantasy map. Then through an odd confluence of events, strange brain chemistry, and neurodivergence, I slid from my intended life path into working in technology. And I slid more firmly across the threshold into urban fantasy.

I don't know what it is about those of us who were born into a world well before personal computers and cells phones. I find a startling number of us still harbor this sneaking suspicion that our world is held aloft by  tenuous threads woven by a cabal of technowizards somewhere. More than half of us admit to talking to our technology - and I don't mean Siri. We speak to our machines as if they held some sentience. Some of us of pagan persuasion insist that all objects, animate or inanimate, contain a kind of spirit even if we wouldn't entirely call it a soul. I say this not so much so you can worry after my sanity (far too late, y'all) as to say that perhaps you can see how the world of technology melded with the fantasy world of curious magics and curiouser sprites, Fae, and spirits.

Urban fantasy seems to happen at the point where humanity risks being subsumed by everything humanity has wrought - whether it's technology or an unfeeling city that's threatening to swallow up the main character. Magic in an urban fantasy context seems to either act as a flicker of hope, or yet another dehumanizing obstacle to be overcome. I think, though, that I like urban fantasy for the experience of marking out the people who can see what lies underneath and those who can only see what's presented on the surface. There's a story Charles de Lint did called Crow Girls. One of his characters can see the young human sisters in the crows who come to the yard every day. Everyone else just sees ragged crows. Eventually, the girls shapeshift for the POV character and everyone helps solve everyone else's issues where they can. There's a story about perception being told there and it feels familiar to me.

Not to mention that I get the chance to play with creepy imagery. I might not have the chops for horror and that's fine. But I do love a good skin crawling creep out and it's in fantasy - especially urban fantasy - that I get the chance to play with giving myself the heebie jeebies.

What makes your favorite hero/heroine?

We love gushing about things we’re fans of because what’s better than loving something? Sharing it with someone and loving it together! And this week we’re talking about our favorite fictional heroine that we didn’t write. 

The topic says heroine, and I’ve read some truly amazing heroines! But I don’t want to limit my character pool, so I’m going to go with favorite hero/heroine! 

Please let me introduce to you: Kvothe. 

If you’re scratching your head a bit, the author, Patrick Rothfuss, explains this name here. If you’re cheering at your screen, I see you. You’ve got great taste in books. 

Kvothe is a young man who makes dumb, young person mistakes. He had a wonderful childhood, which was stolen from him in a moment of voilence. He learned how to live on the streets. Then he pulled himself out of the gutter and managed to get himself into the most prestigious school. Kvothe isn’t some tough bad-ass strong-man, though he’s gone up against gods and walked away. He’s a lute player. And with those strings he makes magic. 

I picked Kvothe because of all those reasons listed above, but more importantly because he is a young man who has been molded by his circumstances, turned around, and said he wanted to make himself. And he didn’t do it by twirling swords and bashing skulls. He willed his world to be different, closed his eyes, and threw his entire being into making it so. 

I want to live like Kvothe. And yes, I absolutely wish I’d written Kvothe. If you’re in the mood for a thick epic fantasy, check out The Name of the Wind. 

How about you? Who is your favorite hero/heroine and why?

A Fantasy Book Rec: A Psalm of Storms and Silence!

 

This week’s topic is one of my favorites: Book Recommendations!!! 

As I’ve mentioned before, I love suggesting books and the book cover above is one that is waiting on my nightstand because book one was such a fantastic fantasy ride. And, the covers are absolutely gorgeous.

If you enjoy fantasy with strong characters and a dash of mythology and romance, you should check this series out!

A Psalm of Storms and Silence

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin #2

Karina lost everything after a violent coup left her without her kingdom or her throne. Now the most wanted person in Sonande, her only hope of reclaiming what is rightfully hers lies in a divine power hidden in the long-lost city of her ancestors.

Meanwhile, the resurrection of Karina’s sister has spiraled the world into chaos, with disaster after disaster threatening the hard-won peace Malik has found as Farid’s apprentice. When they discover that Karina herself is the key to restoring balance, Malik must use his magic to lure her back to their side. But how do you regain the trust of someone you once tried to kill?

As the fabric holding Sonande together begins to tear, Malik and Karina once again find themselves torn between their duties and their desires. And when the fate of everything hangs on a single, horrifying choice, they each must decide what they value most—a power that could transform the world, or a love that could transform their lives.

Bookshop | B&N | Goodreads

If you haven’t had the chance to check out book one, the blurb is:

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?

The first in an fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.

Bookshop | B&N | Goodreads

You can find Roseanne online here.

If you haven't checked out this series yet, I hope you do! Happy reading!

Release Day: THE GODLESS by James A. Moore

 James is super busy this week with his dual launches! The first is his Halloween anthology HALLOWEEN NIGHTS: TALES OF AUTUMN FRIGHT that he mentioned yesterday and the second is today's release of the fifth book in his Seven Forges epic fantasy series. If you haven't begun the journey with the Sa'ba Taalor and Andover Lashk of the Iron Hands in the SEVEN FORGES, start here. 

THE GODLESS
Seven Forges, Book 5

The long war with the Sa'ba Taalor has ended, but the land of Fellein does not know peace – only ceaseless change.

A spate of murders draw the interest of Darsken Murdrow of the Inquisition, until the hunter becomes the hunted. Andover Lashk of the Iron Hands seeks a home in a world in which he no longer fits. An unholy necromancer steals souls, makes sacrifices, and sows fear.

And in the barren wastelands of the Wellish Steppes, the army of the Godless gathers. Driven from their homeland, abandoned by their deities, the Godless now follow the banner of a new Master, and are thirsty for blood.

BUY IT NOW: Amazon | Bookshop.Org