The Queen of Days released on 24 October 2023 and it’s an epic adventure that weaves together a flawed-but-lovable family of thieves, a battle between fallen gods, and stakes high enough to cause vertigo.

The allure of the trickster is always rooted in the will-they-won’t-they pull of right versus wrong. It’s what makes watching the new Loki series so irresistible. It’s not just the gleefully mischievous mayhem wrought by Asgard’s second son, but also the question of whether he will ever manage to do the right thing. And the secret hope that he will keep skipping gleefully into the shadows. So, if morally grey is your favorite color, read on to find five books that might scratch that trickster itch.

THE BLACKTONGUE THIEF by Christopher Buehlman

Kinch Na Shannack is no one’s idea of a hero. Deeply indebted to the Taker’s Guild that trained him, he makes the ill-fated choice to steal from a lone woman on the road. Except the woman is a knight on an epic journey across monster-infested lands and Kinch is going to help her whether he wants to or not. Delightfully irreverent and brimming with all the banter you could ever hope for, THE BLACKTONGUE THIEF is an instant classic that had me laughing out loud time and again.

GODKILLER by Hannah Kaner

The world of GODKILLER is rife with gods, but that doesn’t make them welcome. Or invincible, thanks to godkillers like Kissen. But when Kissen discovers that Skedi, the God of White Lies, has bonded himself to a young girl named Inara, Kissen finds herself unable to do her job. For a God of White Lies, Skedi’s point of view chapters reveal him to be surprisingly devoted to young Inara, and the mystery of how they became connected will keep you turning pages. In addition to some unique worldbuilding, this fantasy quest story also has some major Witcher vibes thanks to the friendship that grows between Kissen and Inara. This is a highly unique tale and a must-read for those who enjoy books with no easy answers.

ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART by Stephanie Garber

Calling all YA readers! When broken-hearted Evangeline makes deal with Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, to stop her boyfriend’s wedding, you just know things are going to end badly. Garber fans will recognize Jacks from the CARAVAL series, but by some mysterious authorial alchemy, the often-villainous, always untrustworthy, and occasionally heroic Jacks becomes someone that you want to root for. Just don’t think you can ever guess what he will do next. Or why.

AMONG THIEVES by M.J. Kuhn

This high-stakes fantasy heist novel is positively chock-full of trickster-type characters. Like many a heist novel, this crew is out to make the score of a lifetime. Unlike many, every single member of the crew goes in planning to betray the others. Readers will have their pick of morally grey rascals to root for: from the slightly bumbling Tristan, an assassin with a surprising secret, to the terrifyingly and shark-like Callum. This multi-point of view tale is intricately plotted and makes for a fast-paced page turner that will have you immediately grabbing for book two.

LOKI by Melvin Burgess

What list of books featuring morally questionable characters would be complete without an appearance by the original trickster himself, Loki? Burgess’s debut into the adult space, LOKI has something of an experimental and quasi-autobiographical feel to it. Sharply funny, Loki paints a portrait of Norse mythology that is rife with intensely human-like gods and a Valhalla that doesn’t seem quite so heavenly as we’ve been led to believe. This book is a fantastically weird take well-known source material, with a voice that will leave you laughing. 

Bonus Reading! The Old Kingdom Series, by Garth Nix

Okay, so this one is a deep cut (hence the bonus entry), but can we all just remember how cool Mogget is? First appearing in SABRIEL, and returning many times since, Mogget is introduced as a talking cat begrudgingly bound to serve the line of Abhorsens—necromancers tasked to put down the dead. But Mogget isn’t a docile house pet, he’s more like a fallen god/demon in disguise. And in Mogget, Nix just spells out what we are all thinking: all tricksters are cats at heart. Though Mogget may serve the Abhorsens, and might be wooed with promises of fish, only a fool would test that theory by removing his collar.

The post 5 Books To Read If You Love A Good (Or Not So Good) Trickster appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson
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This sensational epic fantasy follows an emissary for the king as he gathers a group of strangers and embarks on a dangerous quest across a war-torn land.​

Dragonfall by Laura Lam
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Long-banished dragons, revered as gods, return to the mortal realm in the first in this magical new epic fantasy trilogy from a bestselling author

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
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From the beloved, bestselling author of Elektra and Ariadne, a reimagining of the myth of Atalanta, a fierce huntress raised by bears and the only woman in the world’s most famous band of heroes, the Argonauts

Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman
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Scarlet is the first book in a wildly engaging new series from Genevieve Cogman, which reinvents the beloved tale of the Scarlet Pimpernel.

The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes
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With unforeseen twists, romance, and a heavy sprinkle of magic, The Enchanted Hacienda  is a captivating coming-of-age debut exploring identity, unconditional family love, and uncovering the magic within us all.

The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson
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In the second installment of Juno Dawson’s “irresistible” fantasy trilogy (Lana Harper), a group of childhood friends and witches must choose between what is right and what is easy if they have any hope of keeping their coven–and their world–from tearing apart forever.

The Will of the Many by James Islington
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At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.

Loki by Melvin Burgess
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This is a retelling that is contemporary in tone, at once amusing and relatable. It is a heartfelt plea to overthrow the old gods of power and authority and instigate a new era ruled by love and intelligence.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
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Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.

Savage Beasts by Rani Selvarajah
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Savage Beasts is a propulsive retelling of the Greek myth of Medea, reimagined as Meena the daughter of the powerful Nawab of Bengal, during the rise of the East India Company.

A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand
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New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn, Claire Legrand, makes her stunning adult debut with A Crown of Ivy and Glass, a lush, sweeping, steamy fantasy romance series starter that’s perfect for fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
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The explosive, hotly-anticipated debut novel from the New York Times-bestselling author of Friday Black, about two top women gladiators fighting for their freedom within a depraved private prison system not so far-removed from America’s own.

What releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post May 2023 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Melvin! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Sure! I’m English, I live in the beautiful county of Yorkshire in the Peninne Hills, where I keep bees, garden for wildlife and … well! I have a very pleasant life, thank you very much! I began writing professionally over thirty years ago and came to fame with my book Junk, published as Smack in the USA. Since then I’ve written many books for teenagers and children. LOKI is my first book for adults, and I can tell you, it was a real liberation! I had such fun writing it.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I fell in love with books and stories in general very early on. My parents used to read to me every night, which I think is an enormous boost to a love of reading in a child. A love of writing came after that, which I suppose it usually does. I was not a good student at school – I was far too dreamy, getting lost in my own thoughts all the time. I found it difficult to concentrate on things I wasn’t interested in (a problem I still have!) But I loved reading and writing, everything about it—how stories unfold, the rhythm of words, the way meaning snakes around sentences in such a fascinating way.

In the UK back in the day we used to have the 11+ exam at the end of Primary school, when you were aged 11, and whether you passed or not decided whether or not you were a clever kid who would go to Grammar school, or a dumb kid who would go to Secondary Modern School. I was a dumb kid. I remember writing an essay for a teacher at my Secondary Modern. It was in the form of a diary, with the story unfolding with each daily entry. I thought I was being clever, I was convinced I’d get a 10/10. But no. She refused to even mark it because I hadn’t actually answered the brief in my essay. She was teaching us speech marks and in my diary entry, there were no speech marks at all. She was completely uninterested in the tory itself, how it was told. All she wanted was the work to fit the brief. Not much encouragement there!

Fortunately we moved house and I got a much more enthusiastic teacher there who praised my work to the skies. I think it was at that point, secretly (I didn’t dare tell anyone!) That I first conceived the idea that I might one day write books of my own.

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading!

The Wind in the Willows, without a doubt. My parents read it to me at home, then I read it to myself. Then I took it into school and the teacher read it to the class. I just adored that book!

Your latest novel, Loki, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Is he telling the truth?

What can readers expect?

Much has been written about Loki, and that’s no surprise because he’s such an attractive character, despite the fact that he’s so obviously an untrustworthy shyster. We might perhaps call him something of a populist …? In real life, who wants it? But in fiction, that’s such a great mix.

Basically, Loki is of the opinion that he has been misrepresented in the old myths and legends, and he’s taking this opportunity to retell them from his own POV. You can expect Loki to big himself up, and to poke fun and worse at the other gods, who have, according to him, blamed all their mishaps and mistakes on him and taken the glory from all the good things he’s done. Loki is irreverent, often scandalous. He’s no respecter in any way of purse or person.  His language is often dreadful, his boasting shameless. But he’s full of life, knows how to tell a really good story, is often hilarious and, above all, he is a god. You can expect to be taken on a truly magical ride, up to the heights and down to the darkest mysteries with Loki as your guide.,

What inspired you to explore Norse mythology and specifically delve into Loki?

I’ve always loved mythology and the Norse myths are the ones that speak to me the most. I first came across them in a book called Tales of the Norse Gods and Heroes, by Barbara Leonnie Picard, a book I read over and over again. I fell in love at once. I’ve wanted to use those stories in my writing ever since then. Some years ago I wrote a pair of books, Bloodtide and Bloodsong, based on the Volsunga Saga, which is, in my opinion, the best of the Viking sagas. Those stories are about the fate and fortunes of Volsung family, who were much loved by the god Odin. But the gods themselves are another matter, and I’ve been thinking about how I might portray them ever since.

Why Loki? I think I’ve explained something of that above. You have to love a trickster, someone who has such a silver tongue, who can talk the hind legs of a donkey, always raises a laugh, is always entertaining. And all the time there’s that knowing dark side of him, grinning at you from the shadows. A good liar always convinces you that they’re lying for you, to your advantage. It always comes a shock when people realise that he’s been fooling them, too, all along. Loki is someone prepared to risk all to get what he wants… or is it what he believes in? You can never quite tell with someone like him.

Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

The difference between myth and legend is that myth is arises out of religion.  I think we forget that. We usually treat myths in much the same way as if they were just folk tales, but they have far more weight than that. Myths should of course be good tales well told but more than that, they should have something of the glory and mystery of a religious experience about them, something ecstatic and dreadful. They should give us a taste of the numinous. There are one or two areas in Loki where I’ve tried to approach that, when Odin sacrifices himself to himself, hanging on a tree, and when Loki transforms himself into a mare to lure away the wonderful stallion, Svaðilfari. Perhaps also when he speaks of love. I’ve done my best to show that side of him, too.

All in all it was a really entertaining book to write – Loki is such an interesting character. I just hope I’ve done him justice.

This is your first published adult novel! Was there anything in particular that sparked the shift?

I’ve written many books for teenagers. I’ve always thought of YA as writing about being that age, rather than for people of that age – it’s more authentic and true to it’s subjects that way. But after so many books, I feel as though I don’t have any more to say about it. I’ve covered so many different aspects of adolescence … drugs, sexuality, body image, friendship, education, you name it. I can’t see much more I want to cover. Also, I’m 69 now. I’ve not been a teenager for fifty years! Long time … So now I think it’s time to write about other things and leave teens to people still within striking distance of that time of life.

You’ve had books published over the last 30 years. What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned as a writer?

Don’t stop would be the first one. Overall, it’s the people who just keep at it who get there rather than the ones who apparently have the huger talents. Writing is a hard thing to do, you need to practise it to get any good, regardless of how much talent you have to start off with. But if you do put the hours in, you have a very good chance of getting there. So put the hours in!

The same thing goes not just for an entire career but also for individual books. Books can and do occasionally just fall off your finger tips and emerge at the end with very few re-writes like perfect little angels, but usually it take a lot of work to get it right. Learning how to approach your work from different angles so that you’re always engaged with it through many re-writes is something we all need to learn. So be patient!

Having said that, sometimes, no mater how hard you go at something, no matter how many re-writes you do, it just never comes right and the work has to be abandoned. Writing is tough. You need a skin like a rhinoceros at this game!

Finally, have fun. Try and surprise yourself. Be prepared to experiment and break the rules. When it works, it really is like flying.

What’s next for you?

Well, I have another Norse one off with my agent at the moment – this one in the voice of Volson, the smith, who becomes a god – in my version, anyway. I have a children’s one I want do, for younger ones this time, and then back to a long and very difficult piece I’m doing based on a well known character from Dickens. I shall say no more!

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

The post Q&A: Melvin Burgess, Author of ‘Loki’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.