Back in the late 1970s, I wrote a short story called The Gift of the Outcast. It was a deliberate attempt to write something that was closer to traditional sword & sorcery than the more elaborate fantasy I was writing. It concerned a young thief, Loshi, in a city called Shimeth who was hired toContinue reading “Introducing Loshi vi Assarid — The Thief of Shimeth”
Tag Archives: story
Flashbacks — Love Them or Hate Them?
Whether you’re reading a book, watching a film or following a TV series, one thing seems increasingly consistent — the story isn’t told in sequential order. Perhaps it’s just an occasional flashback, or perhaps the entire story is being told in multiple timelines, but the journey from A to B is rarely a straight line.Continue reading “Flashbacks — Love Them or Hate Them?”
Which World Is Your Story Set In? — reposted
This article was originally posted on my old blog in 2015. It felt it was well worth reposting, and I hope you’ll agree. People who don’t like fantasy often base their objections on the claim that they prefer to read books or watch films set in the real world. For these people, the dichotomy isContinue reading “Which World Is Your Story Set In? — reposted”
Hanuut’s Stand
I don’t normally post material here that’s still available elsewhere, but I felt this was a special case. It can be found in the anthology The Tale Trove, but I’m posting it today for Ukraine. The city of Naamid burnt around Hanuut as he stormed the guard-post with his fellow-rebels. Soldiers of the DemonContinue reading “Hanuut’s Stand”
A Ghost Story for Christmas
In the fine old Christmas tradition, here’s a brief but creepy story. Inspired by MR James, who in turn was inspired by Shakespeare. Christmas Neighbours There was a man dwelt by a churchyard. He’d never wanted to live there, having since childhood a morbid fear of graves, but there was nowhere else he could afford.Continue reading “A Ghost Story for Christmas”
The Fantasy Worlds of Nyki Blatchley 