About The Sea Spinner: Blazing with reawakened magic, a young woman challenges the tides of fate in this highly anticipated sequel to the #1 Sunday Times bestseller The Wind Weaver. Out April 28th 2026.

Whenever the real world feels inescapably heavy, I like to slip into a fictional one instead. Is there any greater escape than an all-consuming fantasy novel? Or, better yet, a series? Some of my personal favorites draw influence from the myths and legends of old, where fae are more monster than man, stakes are deadly high, and tragedy is tightly interwoven with even the sweetest victory…

Here are six fantasy series recommendations (some contemporary, some classic) that incorporate Irish, Welsh, or Norse mythology.

Daughter of the Forest (The Sevenwaters Series, #1) by Juliet Marillier

Marillier weaves a spellbinding tale of sacrifice and sorcery in this retelling of the Celtic legend of “The Six Swans” where a young woman risks everything to save her brothers from a deadly enchantment. With lush writing and wholly immersive worldbuilding, this classic fantasy seamlessly blends history and mythology. Read it as a standalone or continue on with the other books in the Sevenwaters saga, which follows future generations of the same family through various perils and passions.

Darkfever (The Fever Series, #1) by Karen Marie Moning

Celtic legend collides with the contemporary world in The Fever Series, which follows plucky heroine Mackayla Lane through fae-infested streets of modern Dublin in a quest to track down her sister’s killer. The series draws heavily from Irish mythology throughout all five books (and their later spin-offs), and never shies away from dark subject matter. The monsters are genuinely horrifying, the romance is torturously slow burn, and, the heroine’s steady character development shines through even the grimmest plot twists.

Broken Souls and Bones (Stonegate, #1) by LJ Andrews

The first in a duology, this Norse-inspired fantasy immediately draws you into an intricately penned world full of pulse-pounding danger and devilish plots. It also features one of the most interesting magic systems I’ve come across lately, where practitioners employ different “crafts” of blood, bone, soul, and melding. Andrews’ characters are carefully penned throughout, facing both internal and external struggles as the story progresses. But beware the cliffhanger! You’ll want to dive straight into book two. (Which, luckily, is already available.)

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1) by Holly Black

In this first installment of a young adult trilogy, Black tosses her human heroine into the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Infused equally with family drama and fae politics, heartwarming scenes and heart-wrenching twists, it’s difficult to put this book down once you start reading. The lore is rich, the pacing well-penned. The tension never lets up (and I’m not just talking about the delicious enemies-to-lovers dynamic). Don’t let the “young adult” classification scare you off. There’s plenty for grown-ups to enjoy here, too.

A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated Series, #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

This Norse-inspired duology starter serves up an equal portion of romance and fantasy, perfectly balancing sizzling chemistry with magic and action. Between the atmospheric setting and strong cast of side characters, you’ll feel you’re right alongside shield-maiden heroine Freya as she battles to control both her destiny and her goddess-granted powers.

The Wren in the Holly Library (The Oak and Holly Cycle, #1) by K.A. Linde

According to the author’s note at the start of the book, this unique contemporary spin on Celtic mythology was inspired by Linde’s own trip to Ireland, and a particularly formative visit to the library at Trinity College. Here, a post-apocalyptic New York City serves as a playground for fae, druids, monsters, nymphs, vampires, werewolves, and more mythological creatures. Linde’s skillful worldbuilding really shines through, beautifully layered without ever feeling bogged down. (Trolls in the subway? That’s pure fantasy fun!)

PS: My own fantasy trilogy begins with The Wind Weaver, a tale inspired by the Welsh goddess Rhiannon. (And the Fleetwood Mac song of the same name.) The rich folklore found in the Mabinogion collection of Welsh stories helped me immensely in shaping the world of Anwyvn and its fraught political structures. Page one drops you into a huge, war-ravaged realm where the fae have been hunted down and possessing magic is punishable by death… 

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The first thing you need to know about the one who is writing this review is that few authors hold my interest with the same magnetic pull of Juliet Marillier. If I was ever to consider “must-read authors” as an immutable concept, Marillier would be one of those most highly regarded on such a list.

As such, it’s safe to say that any time I decide to venture into one of her stories, my longing for her richly built historical fantasies irrevocably amounts to certain high expectations. Such things are perhaps unfair (in their extent) to the author, but I am proud to announce that, every single time, Marillier conquers the delivery of remarkable tales of courage brought alive by magic. A Dance with Fate was an incredible addition to those tales.

Whereas the first book in the author’s latest Warrior Bards series represented a lesson in communal resilience brought about by unity and trust among a coordinated group, its sequel, though no less daring, explores all the ways a person can find strength in another and themselves when they believe all hope has been stolen.

At the beginning of our story, Dau suffers a grave injury that alters the course of what he and Liobhan believe to be an unobstructed path towards their desired place in the Swan Island community.

They will soon find that such paths are hardly ever straightforward, as Dau’s injury ushers in his past, and with it, his lingering demons. Dau and Liobhan must unite stronger than ever and assure neither of them falls prey to unspeakable darkness.

Brocc is not forgotten in this story, as he also battles uncertainties and fears of his own; for his newfound family, for his people. His is a tale tightly interwoven with the magical folklore that sets Marillier’s work apart from any other in its genres.

All of our characters find themselves forced to discover the joys, freedom, and afflictions of opening oneself up to comfort.

From the first page, it’s plain to see that while The Harp of Kings brokered its fair amount of challenges, the sequel presents more intimate quests centring on the theme of family, as well as a timely discussion on the dangers of frighteningly manipulative men of influence.

Marillier plays grief like the strings of a harp; tightly-coiled, posed to break your heart with the echoes of a sorrowful song. Her storytelling skills infuse every scene with such raw emotion that, slowly and steadily, every scene tethers itself around your heart, linking you to this story and its characters.

Marillier may be a grand folklorist, capable of enthralling even the most skeptic of readers with her fascinating lore, but her mastery has always lied in the craft of her extraordinary characters. They have always been the driving engine behind the elegant fables and myths that so enchant readers of the author’s expert storytelling.

In this particular story, men cry openly and freely, which doesn’t account to shatter some illusory concept of strength, but rather testifies to the solidity of their character. Women are caretakers, powerful warriors, mothers. All carry the flawed, incomplete, compelling attributes of more than characters made of ink, rather, they become people born of realistic imagination.

The author knows exactly where to end and begin each POV as to make the reader quickly fly through the story in an edge-of-your-set excitement to unravel what comes next. Despite this being quite a long book, I devoured it expeditiously.

I only wish Dau’s predicament had come to a more satisfying and dignified resolution, as I found the conclusion added to disparaging narratives concerning people and their disabilities.

A Dance with Fate earns its title well by the way it fills you with uncertainty over its conclusions, even as it lifts your spirits. It’ll call to any reader who prizes a heartfelt story of folklore and emotional character development.

Trigger Warnings: Self-harm, suicidal tendencies

A Dance With Fate is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up A Dance With Fate? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

A young woman who is both a bard–and a warrior–seeks to repay her debts and settle scores in this thrilling historical fantasy series.

The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau’s family for the accident, she agrees to go to Dau’s home as a bond servant for the span of one year.

There, she soon learns that Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The vicious Crow Folk still threaten both worlds. And Dau, battling the demon of despair, is not an easy man to help.

When Liobhan and Dau start to expose the rot at the center of Oakhill, they place themselves in deadly danger. For their enemy wields great power and will stop at nothing to get his way. It will take all the skills of a Swan Island warrior and a touch of the uncanny to give them a hope of survival. . . .

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Intrigue, plotting, secretive druids, an evil crown prince, bards, a possible slow burn romance, and a whole lot of magic. That’s just a bit of what you can expect from Juliet Marillier’s latest book, The Harp of Kings! This is the first in the Warrior Bards series, and the latest in a long list of other titles, but Marillier has once again crafted something magical.

Eighteen-year-old Liobhan has an amazing voice and she’s an expert whistle player, but more than anything else, she is a fighter. With a burning ambition to be one of the legendary warriors at Swan Island, Liobhan and her brother Brocc are training on the island in a competition to join their ranks, when they’re drafted into a mission while still candidates.

Their skill as bards and prowess as warriors makes them the perfect choice to send undercover as travelling minstrels. The mission, should they choose to accept it, is to find a mysterious harp, which needs to be played at the upcoming coronation or else risk a revolt. Faced with court politics, family ties, tight-lipped druids, and a crown prince with a dark streak, and the unsettling realisation that the Otherworld might be meddling in the affairs of the kingdom, Liobhan is all of a sudden torn between doing the job and doing what’s right… but when nothing is at it seems, who do you trust?

“Magic is real. It may not come in just the way you want, or exactly when you want it, because it’s tricky and unpredictable and… difficult. And sometimes it’s hard to believe it’s possible. But what about those old stories? And the songs we sing every night? They are full of magic.”

Marillier is a storyteller, I have no other way of describing the way she writes, or the magic she manages to imbue her words with. If I’m being honest, The Harp of Kings is not my favourite of her books (that accolade goes to Cybelle’s Secret) but it still holds up alongside all her other novels. The world is a familiar one, especially if you’ve read any of her other novels – a historical fantasy world set alongside the mystic of the Otherworld, the fae world that borders the human one.

It’s a very traditional fairy-tale world, one that feels almost nostalgic with its rules; fairies hate iron, they don’t eat or drink anything that isn’t from the human world, and be prepared… because anything you ask for comes at a price. It’s a world I really enjoy spending time in, and so, I was a little disappointed that in this book, we didn’t get to spend too much time in the Otherworld. Not that the ‘human’ world is a bad place to spend time in – in fact, I’d say just as much effort went into crafting the politics and rules of the kingdom Liobhan and the others are immersed in; Erin.

In particular, the mythology surrounding the Harp is intriguing; the harp must be played at the coronation of any new ruler, and if no music comes from the harp, or if it’s not played at all, the people of Erin will not accept the new ruler. So, this central part of the novel is spent with our spies trying to locate the Harp so it can be played at the coronation of the crown prince at midsummer.

However, underlying this are a couple of points, one is that the prince seems an unfitting choice of leader. Brutish and unkind, he’s an incredibly unlikable character. And even though it seems that in large part, his cruelty is a farce employed to hide the fear he has surrounding becoming king, in my mind it did nothing to diminish the severity of the things he does over the course of the novel. To be honest, I don’t even feel like the kind of character you like to dislike. I love unlikable characters, particularly as antagonists, as they provide a lot of depth to stories, but in this case, he just felt like a jerk and didn’t have enough dimension to make it count for anything.

Liobhan and Dau are without a doubt my favourite characters in The Harp of Kings, and the development of the relationship in particular was really fun to read. Dau, in the beginning, was infuriating. He’s a POV character and an inherently sexist (I mean, it is historical fantasy) one to boot. He’s very much of the mindset that women can’t be better at things like fighting, and so spends a lot of time being annoyed at how proficient Liobhan is. Watching his internal dialogue gradually change from “she’s good for a girl” to simply “she’s just good” was amazing, especially as he fought it for so long. He’s also in possession of “heroic good looks” and a tragic backstory – so really, he’s everything you want in a fictional character. In particular, the tragic backstory element was brutal. As a novel, The Harp of Kings is categorised as adult with strong YA crossover potential, and it comes into play with Dau’s backstory – it’s not a nice one.

Dau is probably the highlight of the character in this story for me, because of the development he goes through, which is something that the others are missing a bit of. I understand it’s the first book in a series, so you can’t expect that much character development, but I would have preferred more than what we got. Brocc especially seemed to just do things at times for the hell of it. There were a few times throughout the book where I was just so lost with what was happening to him, because it was as if he was experiencing random leaps of development or time, but nothing was being shown, and no time was passing. Even Liobhan, who I love as a portrayal of a badass feminist warrior spy, didn’t experience as much development as you’d expect from the title character. She has a lot of potential though, and the decisions she did make felt logical to her character, so I’m hoping we get a lot more of her growth in the next book.

One thing that’s an absolute standout to me is the role of music throughout the book. It was somewhat expected, given the title of the book and the fact that the main characters are bards, but it was still a beautiful addition. Marillier writes a lot of the lyrics in the body of the book, and the way she describes the different instruments and the cadence of the music is just so magical… the music actually links in quite heavily with the magic in the world as well, so it’s magic in that sense as well. It was just such a stand-out part of the story for me. I feel like it’s what transformed the book from good to great, and some of the songs just pull on the heartstrings in the best kind of way.

All in all, The Harp of Kings has a lot of potential as the first book in a series. There was enough intrigue and drama to keep you going as a reader, particularly if you’re already familiar with Marillier’s worlds (although not essential) – but it definitely felt like the beginning of a story, one that’s still finding its feet in how it’s characters plan on growing and interacting with one another. It’s steeped in all this beautiful mythology, and I feel as if it will grow into something wonderful, but if not for a few things; the lyrical writing, and the beauty of the music and the world… it would have fallen short of what I’ve come to expect from Marillier.

I still wholeheartedly believe it’s worth picking up though. Just because some of it wasn’t what I expected, doesn’t mean I didn’t adore my time spent in this world. And if nothing else, there’s a very intriguing twist on a traditional fairy-tale element that I absolutely loved, and I am very much looking forward to discovering the implications of a few of the decisions made in this book in the next one.

“But I’ll be beside you, though gone from your sight, I’ll love you and guard you till we meet in the light.”

The Harp of Kings is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Will you be picking up The Harp of Kings? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart, and is a rare talent on the harp. They are both training for the elite warrior band on Swan Island when they are asked to join a mission that requires posing as travelling minstrels.

Their task is to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship, which has mysteriously vanished. If the instrument is not played at the upcoming coronation, the candidate will not be accepted. Faced with plotting courtiers, secretive druids, an insightful storyteller and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realises an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the kingdom. When ambition clashes with conscience, Liobha

The post Review: The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The first time I stumbled across Juliet Marillier’s books was years ago when I came across a beat-up copy of Wildwood Dancing in an op shop. I picked it up primarily for the gorgeous cover, and immediately fell in love with the beautiful writing, and the mystery of the Otherworld. Since then, I’ve read most of her books, and I’m never not surprised by how amazing they all are.

Recently I was given the pleasure of reading The Harp of Kings (her newest release) and interviewing Juliet herself. Do yourself a favour and take a peek inside the brains of one of the most amazing authors in the Southern Hemisphere!

Hi Juliet! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi Peta! I’m a full time author of historical fantasy, born and raised in New Zealand but now a long-term resident of Western Australia. I’d describe myself as part writer, part musician and part crazy dog lady. I’m also a mother of four and a grandmother of eight. I belong to a druid order, OBOD (the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.) I love fairy tales, folklore and mythology, all of which have a major influence on my writing. I’ve now written twenty-two novels and a number of short stories.

What can readers expect in The Harp of Kings?

The story is set in the same world as my Sevenwaters and Blackthorn & Grim series, an imagined version of early medieval Ireland. Readers will meet three characters who are competing for places in an elite and secretive warrior band which has its headquarters on Swan Island. The Swan Island team can be hired by kings and chieftains to perform covert missions including spying. Liobhan, as the only woman among the twenty trainees, is strong, determined, and at times rather blunt. Her brother Brocc is a more sensitive and reserved person. These two are talented musicians; before arriving on the island they often performed in a band. Then there’s Dau, a brilliant but not very likeable trainee, Liobhan’s arch rival. As the story unfolds, the reader gains insights into what shaped him. These three are sent out on a mission while still in training, the talents of Liobhan and Brocc being ideal for a job requiring spies under cover as musicians. Our characters are drawn into a complex mystery involving druids, kings, a royal family in crisis, and the involvement of forces beyond the human world. There’s plenty of action, intrigue, folkloric magic and a hint of romance.

Where did you draw your inspiration for the Otherworld?

From a lifelong love of fairy tales, folklore and mythology, especially that of the Celtic countries of my ancestry. I still read traditional stories as well as scholarly works about them, and as a druid I give a lot of thought to what they mean and what they can teach us. There are some concepts and story elements in The Harp of Kings that draw from Irish mythology. In any story I try to incorporate what my (human) characters might have believed in at the time, though in this period Christianity was spreading quickly across a country where people previously followed earth-based faiths, Druidry being one of those. The Otherworld characters play a bigger part in this series than they do in most of my earlier novels, and I try to show how different their thinking and their values are from those of the human characters – when the two races find themselves at close quarters and needing to cooperate, there are all sorts of difficulties. As well as recognising the traditions, I did create quite a few of the fey characters entirely from my own imagination, the smaller ones especially!  The physical settings for the Otherworld scenes are based on a very beautiful part of Ireland, near Lough Erne. I’ve stayed there before and will be doing so again soon. If I don’t come back, you’ll know I strayed into the Otherworld.

I’ve noticed that music features prominently in this book. Can you tell us some of your favourite songs or artists?

Big question! I’ll certainly show my age here, but never mind that. I am a classical musician by training but I love folk music too. Favourite band, the Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig, sadly no longer doing gigs. I also love the American Celtic band, Cherish the Ladies, which features the wonderful Joanie Madden on the whistle – in The Harp of Kings, Liobhan is a brilliant whistle player and I imagined her playing like Joanie, with both heart and virtuosity. Closer to home, I very much admire Lior, such a versatile musician. When I wrote the character Brocc, I was thinking of a singing voice that makes people go quiet,  brings tears to the eyes, and conveys a message far beyond the music itself. Lior’s voice is like that.

Who was your favourite character to write?

Initially it was Liobhan. With her courage and physical presence, she’s the woman I wish I had been at eighteen! But I enjoyed creating a voice for each of the three protagonists. I ended up with a new favourite. Often the most troublesome characters are the most interesting to write.

I love how the rules for the Fae seem to draw on classic mythology. How much research did you do for that?

My Otherworld folk owe something to Irish mythology, though in this book they have dwindled in power and status as humankind gradually loses belief in the old tales. The clan we meet is a motley crew of beings. They are all individuals. I based them partly on ideas from folklore, partly on the sort of uncanny folk I’d featured in my earlier Irish books, and partly from my own imagination. While the tale of the Harp of Kings is not a traditional story, it has elements of Irish mythology in it, dating back to the time when the first human tribe, the Milesians, set foot on the shore of Ireland and disturbed the peace of the uncanny races who lived there. That was my main area of research for this particular book.

Can you give us any hints about where this series is headed?

Book 2, provisionally titled A Dance with Fate, takes our protagonists on a different journey, sparked off by a dramatic event that turns their lives upside down. There will be more Otherworld action, a mystery to solve, poison, monks, a large payment in silver, and developments concerning the menacing and enigmatic Crow Folk.  Our central characters are physically and emotionally tested to breaking point.

You have quite a few books out now. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Three pieces of advice:

1. READ as widely as you can, across many genres, not only the one you want to write in. That includes fiction in many genres, non-fiction, poetry,  journalism. It’s a great way to learn about style and structure and how to tell a story effectively. You will never become a good writer if you are not also a reader.

2. WORK HARD on your craft. Make time for writing, ideally doing some every day, whether it’s a gradually developing story, a personal journal, a poem. Join a writers’ group and learn how to give and receive critique. Read great books on the craft. I recommend the blog Writer Unboxed, which is all about the craft and business of writing and has many excellent contributors.

3. Think about WHY you want to be an author. Is it so you can be rich and famous and have zillions of followers on social media? Or is it because you love writing and you have a story that is desperate to be told? You know which is the right answer. Don’t write to please the market; write the story you feel passionate about.

Was being a writer a childhood dream or did it come along later?

It must have been a childhood dream because I started writing stories pretty much as soon as I could put pencil to paper. I also drew some pretty wacky pictures as a child, the sort of thing that was a fantasy story in itself. My early stories included one about dinosaurs being found still living in Fiordland, New Zealand, and one about rampaging killer robots. However, I ended up pursuing another passion, music, and it was only after a career as a singer and music teacher, plus a stint in the public service, that I started writing fiction again much later. I was writing more for therapy than anything – I’d been through a tough patch in my personal life – but that manuscript ended up getting me my first book contract.

Do you have any book recommendations for us? 

Where do I start? One of my favourite recent reads was The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley, a mind-bending literary fantasy based on Beowulf, with the story driven by the women characters. This would be an ideal book club choice, as it engages both the heart and the intellect and is highly original. The Binding by Bridget Collins was also brilliant. It’s based on the concept that a person’s painful memories can be written down and bound into a book, and thereby erased from that person’s mind. We follow a young man who is apprenticed to a binder, and gradually realise that this craft can also be used to sinister purpose. There’s a wonderful love story in this novel, incredibly clever storytelling and unforgettable characters. My third choice would be Circe by Madeline Miller. This author’s ability to tell a story with such emotional intensity and such immediacy, despite the time frame being very long (the protagonist is the daughter of a god) is impressive. This book is a feast for the senses, full of the sounds and tastes and textures of its Mediterranean settings.

Will you be picking up The Harp of Kings? Tell us in the comments below!

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Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be picking up any of these releases!

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The lush world building of Children of Blood and Bone meets the sweeping scale of Strange the Dreamer in this captivating epic YA fantasy debut.

Cold Storage by David Koepp
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For readers of Andy Weir and Noah Hawley comes an astonishing debut by the screenwriter of Jurassic Park: a wild and terrifying adventure about three strangers who must work together to contain a highly contagious, deadly organism.

The Bone Ships by R.J. Barker
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A brilliantly imagined saga of honor, glory, and warfare, The Bone Ships is the epic launch of a new fantasy from David Gemmell Award-nominated RJ Barker.

The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A mind-bending and thought-provoking speculative thriller about a group of time-traveling geologists who are trying to prevent a dark future from coming to pass.

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Debut author Jennifer Giesbrecht paints a darkly compelling fantasy of revenge in The Monster of Elendhaven, a dark fantasy about murder, a monster, and the magician who loves both.

The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the Forgotten Empires magic is forbidden, dreams are destiny, and love is the greatest power of all…

The Nightjar by Deborah Hewitt
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Nightjar by Deborah Hewitt is a stunning contemporary fantasy debut about another London, a magical world hidden behind the bustling modern city we know.

The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A young woman is both a bard–and a warrior–in this thrilling historical fantasy from the author of the Sevenwaters novels.

A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie comes the first book in a new blockbuster fantasy trilogy where the age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die.

There Will Come A Darkness by Katy Rose Pool
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows meets Kristin Cashore’s Graceling, with a dash of Winter is Coming, in this showstopping debut YA fantasy!

Stormrise by Jillian Boehme
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A combat warrior will risk everything to awaken the dragons and save her kingdom in Jillian Boehme’s epic YA Fantasy debut, Stormrise, inspired by Twelfth Night and perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce.

Tiger Queen by Annie Sullivan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From Annie Sullivan, author of A Touch of Gold, comes Tiger Queen, a sweeping YA fantasy adventure that tells the story of a fierce desert princess battling to save her kingdom. Fans of Rebel of the Sands and Meagan Spooner will devour this retelling of Frank Stockton’s famous short story, “The Lady, or the Tiger?”

Will you be picking up any of these September 2019 releases? Tell us in the comments below!

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You think you know Alice in Wonderland? Think again. The stories within these pages will take you on journey through all the different facets of Lewis Carroll’s famous creation, from the historical, the horrific, the contemporary to the spiritual. Get ready to fall down the rabbit hole – or step through the looking glass, whichever you prefer – and prepare to see Wonderland, and indeed Alice, as you’ve likely not seen them before.

Originally published in 1865, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (known first as Alice’s Adventures Under Ground) and his follow-up, Through the Looking-Glass, and what Alice Found There (published 1871), has been inspiring people for over 150 years. The first literary spin-offs began appearing as early as 1895 and have carried on to this day with titles such as Christina Henry’s The Chronicles of Alice. And of course the works inspired by it aren’t confined just to literature. Film adaptations started with the silent films of the early 1900s and have grown to include Disney’s beloved 1951 animated adaptation, Jan Svankmajer’s surrealist masterpiece, Alice (1988), and, most recently, Tim Burton’s interpretations. Alice-inspired media has even moved beyond film and literature, with American McGee’s brilliantly dark and twisted video games, Alice and its sequel Madness Returns, and many other references across the spectrum of pop-culture.

Now Titan Books have released Wonderland, an anthology of 18 never before seen stories inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, brought together by award-winning writer and editors Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan, from some of the best names in fantasy and horror.

We begin with Robert Shearman’s ‘Wonders Never Cease’, a story about change, beginning with the idea that “If Alice wouldn’t change, then something else would have to change in her place” before linking Alice’s journey to the journey we all share. ‘There Were No Birds to Fly’ by M.R. Carey portrays a sci-fi/horror tinged look at two of Wonderland’s more famous residents. ‘The White Queen’s Pawn’ by Genevieve Cogman adds elements of the spy genre before revealing a supernatural sting in the tail. Cavan Scott’s occasionally gory ‘Dream Girl’ sees Wonderland and its residents slowly disappearing. The Dream Girl is apparently to blame, but is everything as it seems?

In Juliet Marillier’s tale, ‘Good Dog, Alice!’, Dorothea’s Great Uncle Bartholomew doesn’t want her to name her new dog Alice as, according to him, all those named Alice are prone to “all manner of wild escapades.” But, for Dorothea, Alice the dog’s curiosity may turn out to be a good thing. Jonathan Green’s ‘The Hunting of the Jabberwock’ sees a knight arrive to hunt the titular beast, only to uncover a nefarious scheme. In George Mann’s ‘About Time’, Lucy found Wonderland as a child and it became her haven. Now she’s a teenager however, she feels it’s time to put childish things behind her but soon finds that this is not as easy as it seems. In ‘Smoke ‘em if You Got ‘em’, Angela Slatter transports Alice to the Wild West.

Rio Youers’ ‘Vanished Summer Glory’ is a poignant tale that looks at grief and its effect on the imagination. Catriona Ward’s ‘Black Kitty’ is a wonderfully peculiar, and surprisingly emotional, “tail” of a pair of twin sisters, a magic mirror and a certain cat. Laura Mauro’s ‘Night Parade’ takes influence from Japanese folklore. L.L. McKinney has already released a contemporary Alice retelling in the form of her debut novel A Blade So Black, and her story, ‘What Makes a Monster’, is set within this same world, bringing an even darker twist to mythology surrounding Jack the Ripper. In ‘The White Queen’s Dictum’ by James Lovegrove, two strangers meet in a motorway service station, one of whom is an investigator of the paranormal, only the paranormal may turn out to be closer than he thinks.

‘Temp Work’ by Lilith Saintcrow adds flavours of science-fiction – particularly cyberpunk – and corporate intrigue. ‘Eat Me, Drink Me’ by Alison Littlewood is an unnervingly woozy tale of a young woman about to be married, who thinks how much easier it would be to be her pet rabbit. ‘How I Comes to be the Treacle Queen’ by Cat Rambo has prose as poetically viscous as the treacle being mined. And ‘Six Impossible Things’ by Mark Chadbourn looks at the creation of imaginary worlds and the effects this can have on those who inspire them. The collection is bookended by Jane Yolen’s two poems, ‘Alice in Armour’ and ‘Revolution in Wonder’, acting as an opening and closing curtain.

As with any short-story collection, particularly those where the stories are all written by different authors, there is a wide variety of genres and styles, and not all of them will have the same impact (though of course your mileage may vary as to which ones). But these are all written by solid names within the genre and the quality is consistently high. An interesting addition to the canon of Alice inspired literature as well as an appealing short story collection in its own right.

Wonderland is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Will you be picking up Wonderland? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

From the greatest names in fantasy and horror comes an anthology of stories inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Join Alice as she is thrown into the whirlwind of Wonderland, in an anthology that bends the traditional notions of Lewis Carroll’s classic novel. Contributors include the bestselling M.R. Carey, Genevieve Cogman, Catriona Ward, Rio Youers and L.L. McKinney.

Within these pages you’ll find myriad approaches to Alice, from horror to historical. There’s even a Wild West tale from Angela Slatter, poetry, and a story by Laura Mauro which presents us with a Japanese folklore-inspired Wonderland.

Alison Littlewood, Cavan Scott and Catriona Ward make the more outlandish elements their own, while James Lovegrove instead draws on the supernatural. Cat Rambo takes us to a part of Wonderland we haven’t seen before and Lilith Saintcrow gives the legend a science-fiction spin. The nightmarish reaches of the imagination are the breeding ground for M.R. Carey’s visions, while Robert Shearman, George Mann, Rio Youers and Mark Chadbourn’s tales have a deep-seated emotional core which will shock, surprise and tug on the heart-strings.

So, it’s time now to go down the rabbit hole, or through the looking-glass or… But no, wait. By picking up this book and starting to read it you’re already there, can’t you see?

The post Review: Wonderland, An Anthology appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

To kick off the second half of 2019, July sees the release of new novels from Chuck Wendig, Pierce Brown, and David Wellington, along with Margaret Owen’s debut novel, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican folklore inspired novel, and Duncan M. Hamilton’s Dragonslayer.

Moving on to August, we’ll read tales of gods from Micah Yongo, a cursed kingdom from Amy Harmon, and a future princess from Mara Rutherford. Meanwhile, John Birmingham will whisk you away on a sci-fi adventure, Brian Naslund will give you a dragon slayer, and Keren Landsman will bring the sorcerers.

September holds some exciting debuts from Jillian Boehme, Jennifer Giesbrecht, and Rena Barron, alongside new books from authors such as Annalee Newitz, Joe Abercombie, and Juliet Marillier.

What’s instore for us in October? Well Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, and more team up for an anthology about witches, Tochi Onyebuchi takes us to a futuristic, Black Panther–inspired Nigeria, and A.M. Strickland treats us to a dark fantasy. Divergent author Veronica Roth returns with a series of short stories, A.J. Hackwith introduces us to a librarian of the afterlife’s library, and Nicky Drayden takes us to deep space.

In November, Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea is set in a secret underground world, Nina MacLaughlin retells Ovid’s Metamorphoses so the women can claim their stories, and Shea Ernshaw’s Winterwood is set in a magical snow-covered forest. The authors from Black Spot Books plan to “chill your bones and warm your heart for the Yuletide season” with short stories, E.E. Knight’s novel follows dragonriders, and Kacen Callender brings us a Caribbean-inspired fantasy world.

To end the year, James Islington’s Licanius Trilogy and Sebastien de Castell’s Spellslinger series conclude, while Milla Vane, Jeff VanderMeer, Rachel Atwood, and Charles Soule bring us new books.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below which books you’re most excited for!

July

The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Debut author Margaret Owen crafts a powerful saga of vengeance, survival, and sacrifice–perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kendare Blake–in The Merciful Crow. Read our review here!

Wanderers by Chuck Wendig
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A decadent rock star. A deeply religious radio host. A disgraced scientist. And a teenage girl who may be the world’s last hope. In the tradition of The Stand and Station Eleven comes a gripping saga that weaves an epic tapestry of humanity into an astonishing tale of survival.

Dark Age (Red Rising Saga #5) by Pierce Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Morning Star returns to the Red Rising universe with the thrilling sequel to Iron Gold.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.

Dragonslayer by Duncan M. Hamilton
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In his magnificent, heroic, adventure fantasy, Dragonslayer, Duncan M. Hamilton debuts the first book in a fast-moving trilogy: a dangerous tale of lost magics, unlikely heroes, and reawakened dragons.

The Last Astronaut by David Wellington
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

August

Pale Kings by Micah Yongo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When the gods return to claim their world, the Five Realms will fall, in this earth-shaking epic fantasy thriller from the author of Lost Gods

The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a breathtaking fantasy of a cursed kingdom, warring clans, and unexpected salvation.

Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford
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For generations, the princes of Ilara have married the most beautiful maidens from the ocean village of Varenia. But though every girl longs to be chosen as the next princess, the cost of becoming royalty is higher than any of them could ever imagine…

The Cruel Stars by John Birmingham
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With a ruthless sect of humanity intent on wiping out their species, five intrepid heroes must think like their enemies in this epic sci-fi adventure for fans of The Expanse and Battlestar Galactica.

Blood of an Exile by Brian Naslund
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After trying to assassinate a fellow noble, Flawless Bershad was given a death sentence. He’s never lost a fight, the most successful dragon slayer in history. But that is about to change. The man who sentenced Bershad to his fate has just given him an out. Kill a king and walk free forever. He doesn’t care about the fates of kings and kingdoms, until, that is, he discovers he is the only person able to save an innocent child and, possibly, the life of every creature in Terra.

The Heart of the Circle by Keren Landsman
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Sorcerers fight for the right to exist and fall in love, in this extraordinary alternate world fantasy thriller by award-winning Israeli author Keren Landsman.

September

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Debut author Jennifer Giesbrecht paints a darkly compelling fantasy of revenge in The Monster of Elendhaven, a dark fantasy about murder, a monster, and the magician who loves both.

Stormrise by Jillian Boehme
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A combat warrior will risk everything to awaken the dragons and save her kingdom in Jillian Boehme’s epic YA Fantasy debut, Stormrise, inspired by Twelfth Night and perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce.

The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The lush world building of Children of Blood and Bone meets the sweeping scale of Strange the Dreamer in this captivating epic YA fantasy debut.

A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A young woman is both a bard–and a warrior–in this thrilling historical fantasy from the author of the Sevenwaters novels.

October

Hex Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery by Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, and Sherrilyn Kenyon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Hex Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery will take the classic tropes of tales of witchcraft and infuse them with fresh, feminist perspective and present-day concerns–even if they’re set in the past. These witches might be monstrous, or they might be heroes, depending on their own definitions. Even the kind hostess with the candy cottage thought of herself as the hero of her own story. After all, a woman’s gotta eat.

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Two sisters are torn apart by war and must fight their way back to each other in a futuristic, Black Panther–inspired Nigeria.

Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Beyond the Black Door is a young adult dark fantasy about unlocking the mysteries around and within us―no matter the cost …

The End and Other Beginnings: Stories from the Future by Veronica Roth
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Bestselling Divergent and Carve the Mark author Veronica Roth delivers a stunning collection of novella-length stories set in the future, illustrated with startling black-and-white artwork.

The Library Of The Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren’t finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories.

Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Compton Crook award–winning author of The Prey of Gods and Temper returns with a dazzling stand-alone novel, set in deep space, in which the fate of humanity rests on the slender shoulders of an idealistic and untested young woman—a blend of science fiction, dark humor, and magical realism that will appeal to fans of Charlie Jane Anders, Jeff VanderMeer, and Nnedi Okorafor.

November

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world–a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An ambitious young woman with the power to control minds seeks vengeance against the royals who murdered her family, in a Caribbean-inspired fantasy world embattled by colonial oppression.

Novice Dragoneer by E E Knight
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the first book in an exciting and charming new coming-of-age fantasy series from the author of the Age of Fire series, an impoverished girl enters into a military order of dragonriders, but her path won’t be as easy or as straightforward as she expected.

Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung by Nina MacLaughlin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In voices both mythic and modern, Wake, Siren revisits each account of love, loss, rape, revenge, and change. It lays bare the violence that undergirds and lurks in the heart of Ovid’s narratives, stories that helped build and perpetuate the distorted portrayal of women across centuries of art and literature.

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wicked Deep comes a haunting romance set deep in the magical snow-covered forest, where the appearance of a mysterious boy unearths secrets that awakens the enchanted, but angry, woods.

A Midnight Clear by Sam Hooker, Seven Jane, Alcy Leyva, Laura Morrison, Dalena Storm, and Cassondra Windwalker
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Six stories of not-so-merry Yuletide whimsy from the authors of Black Spot Books including a woman so cold she hardens to ice on a winter’s eve. From a murder at the Stanley Hotel to demons of Christmas past, present, and future, and a mad elf and Santa’s Candy Court, the authors of Black Spot Books share their love for winter holidays in this collection of dark winter tales, destined to chill your bones and warm your heart for the Yuletide season.

December

The Light of All That Falls (The Licanius Trilogy #3) by James Islington
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Walk the Wild With Me by Rachel Atwood
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this new historical fantasy, a young man must use the power granted by a goddess to infiltrate the realm of Faery and save a kidnapped victim before the door is sealed once again.

A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A generation past, the western realms were embroiled in endless war. Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil—until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.

Crownbreaker by Sebastien de Castell
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Anyone: A Novel by Charles Soule
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Charles Soule brings his signature knowledge—and wariness–of technology to his sophomore novel set in a realistic future about a brilliant female scientist who creates a technology that allows for the transfer of human consciousness between bodies, and the transformations this process wreaks upon the world.

Dead Astronauts by Jeff VanderMeer
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Jeff VanderMeer’s Dead Astronauts presents a City with no name of its own where, in the shadow of the all-powerful Company, lives human and otherwise converge in terrifying and miraculous ways. At stake: the fate of the future, the fate of Earth—all the Earths.

What July to December 2019 fantasy and sci-fi releases are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Exciting Fantasy & Sci-Fi Books Out In July-December 2019 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.