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Author: Brianna da Silva

Amazing Black Fantasy Authors from History

Pauline Hopkins Challenging Racism with Fantasy Adventure Born in 1859, Hopkins started off her career as a lauded actress and singer before becoming a legendary journalist, novelist, and playwright in the 1900s. Much of her literature was romantic in nature, but she wrote in a number of genres, including mystery and, of course, fantasy.  Her most important contribution to the fantasy genre was Of...

Book of Beasts – Ninki Nanka

Something moves in the mist. The muddy water stirs and ripples, rocking an intruder’s canoe. As the adventurer fumbles for a mirror, a reptilian monster emerges. Its horned head towers above, dripping water onto the boat from its gleaming scales. The mouth yawns wide, and fire glows in its cavernous throat. River Monster The Ninki Nanka is a huge, reptilian river monster that brings death in its w...

Book of Beasts – Boitatá

Enormous, rage-filled eyes glow in the dark rainforest as a monstrous serpent raises its head. Flames lick along its massive body and gather in its mouth, ready to smite those who would lay an injurious hand on the forest. Guardian of the Rainforest The Boitatá is a fierce protector of the rainforest. It will allow travelers to pass through who show respect to the forest. However, any who harm the...

Book of Beasts: Bakunawa

The Bakunawa is a great sea dragon that hungers for the moon. Her mouth yawns the size of a lake, with a tongue red like blood and massive sharp teeth. With the help of her wings she can leap from the sea to the heights of the heavens. Goddess of the Underworld Bakunawa is the goddess and guardian of the underworld, cursed to stay in her dragon form as punishment for devouring the six additional m...

Most Anticipated Queer SFF Books of 2021

Each year, the number of queer sci-fi and fantasy releases seems to explode. Now there are too many LGBTQ speculative books to keep up with, which is a great problem to have! This year is no exception. Here is an incomplete list of queer SFF titles coming out in 2021 that many readers (myself included) are excited about. Winter releases 2021 is set to give us many queer SFF gems right off the bat....

My Top Sci-Fi & Fantasy Reads of 2020

I read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy books every year, but every so often there’s a title that truly stands out in its ability to stir my soul and make me think. This year, six books hit these criteria for me. Here are my top sci-fi and fantasy reads of 2020, in no particular order. While I did read all these books for the first time this year, not all of them were published in 2020, just FYI. Also,...

18 Can’t Miss Non-European Fantasy Books

Have you ever felt tired of reading the same-old, Tolkienesque fantasy books with European mythology and white characters? If so, today I’m here to end your boredom. There are countless options of epic and urban fantasy that draw on mythology and cultures from around the world, and that center protagonists of color. Here are 18 non-European fantasy books you won’t want to miss. South A...

9 Amazing Dragons from Around the World

The world is brimming with stories of dragons. These magnificent beasts are not just found in West European mythology; in fact, they are nearly a universal feature of human mythologies, as a rule. Everywhere you look, from East Asia to South America, you’ll find serpentine monsters and deities. There are also many variations on the dragon myth. Some dragons are terrifying; others bring good luck. ...

Interview with Andrea Stewart on “The Bone Shard Daughter”

On September 8, the Asian-inspired epic fantasy The Bone Shard Daughter was released into the world. I sat down with the author, Andrea Stewart, to discuss her debut, diversity in the fantasy genre, and writing established queer relationships. Beyond Queer Tropes The Bone Shard Daughter follows a cast of characters in an empire on the edge of revolution, where an emperor drains the life force of h...

Interview with K.S. Villoso on ‘The Ikessar Falcon’

K.S. Villoso is the author of the acclaimed Chronicles of the Bitch Queen fantasy series, which began with The Wolf of Oren-Yaro and continues with a sequel this fall. I sat down with her to discuss the Filipino influences in her worldbuilding, writing heroines, and her approach to character-driven storytelling. Plus: A peak at Book #2, The Ikessar Falcon. Fantasy Books With Filipino Worldbuilding...

Robert Rodriguez and Latin Representation

Things on the big screen might seem to be diverse now. Or at least, getting more so. But it wasn’t always like that. It may be hard to imagine, but just 20 or so years ago, seeing Brown (much less, Latin) representation in films were few and far between. Well, unless you were the bad guys and not the heroes.  Famed director Robert Rodriguez had to push for Latin representation when he made the fir...

Interview with Aiden Thomas on ‘Cemetery Boys’

In just a few days, we’ll all be able to read Cemetery Boys, the highly-anticipated YA paranormal fantasy steeped in Latinx culture about a trans brujo and the attractive ghost he summons. I sat down with the author, Aiden Thomas, to talk about the inspiration behind Cemetery Boys, what the representation in this book means to them personally, and what they want to see more of in entertainment. Th...

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Sci-fi and Fantasy from South Asia and Southeast Asia.