fantasy

  • The Crows are Coming! Corvid Facts and Fiction

    The Crows are Coming! Corvid Facts and Fiction

    It’s that time – the sunsets are later, the allergies are gearing up, and the crows are stirring. Most people know of the infamous swooping season – when new and protective crow parents will now consider you A Very Suspicious Character and suddenly whoosh! …you’ve been stealth swooped. Patrons of the West Seattle branch are keenly aware of their resident corvid guardians I’m sure. But move past the anxiety inducing fly-bys and there is so much to celebrate about the family Corvidae! From magically engineered war corvid fiction to fun crow facts, the library is here to satisfy your crow curiosity…crowiosity?  Of course, leading the charge is Hollow Kingdom by local author Kira Jane… Continue reading

  • Fractured Fairy Tales and Female Antiheroes, 5 Readalikes for Fans of Wicked

    Fractured Fairy Tales and Female Antiheroes, 5 Readalikes for Fans of Wicked

    Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them? These stories reinvent well-known stories and turn fairy-tale tropes inside out. Once-overlooked characters learn about themselves and grow their magical powers, and good and evil can depend on your perspective. In Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, an unassuming third-born princess allies with… Continue reading

  • Hugo Award 2025 Finalists

    Hugo Award 2025 Finalists

    Every year, the Hugo Awards celebrate some of the most exciting voices in science fiction and fantasy. This year, the ceremony will be right here in Seattle during Worldcon on August 16. From time travel and resurrected mammoths to graphic novels and YA adventures, the 2025 finalists offer something for every reader. This month, we’ve… Continue reading

  • Book Bingo NW 2024: Fantastical

    To mark off your “Fantastical” Book Bingo NW 2024 square, let yourself be swept away to the realms of gods and monsters, magic and intrigue with the following titles, where everything is not quite as it seems… Godkiller by Hannah Kaner is an engrossing quest fantasy with unlikely friendships and found family set in a… Continue reading

  • Take Flight with Dragon Reads

    Between the Year of the Dragon, the popularity of Fourth Wing, and the release of a new book in the legendary YA series The Inheritance Cycle, I’ve got dragon books on my mind. Try one of these titles to get into the spirit, with options for all ages! Dragon fantasy romance doesn’t always have to be serious… Continue reading

  • Author Spotlight: T. Kingfisher

    Fall is upon us, and with spooky season right around the corner, I can’t think of a better time to put T. Kingfisher on your radar. T. Kingfisher, aka Ursula Vernon (who writes children’s books under that name), is a prolific writer of humorous and often terrifying works of fantasy and horror. Some of her… Continue reading

  • Hot Monster Summer

    A friend of mine recently showed me a funny new twist on the “Hot Girl Summer” trend: Hot Orc Summer. As a fan of all kinds of romance, my brain immediately went to the currently exploding subgenre of Monster Romances! Here’s some highlights from the genre. And remember, if SPL doesn’t have a title you… Continue reading

  • What’s new in Pacific Northwest Science Fiction and Fantasy

    The Pacific Northwest has always been a little different, as these wildly imaginative recent Fantasy and Science Fiction titles by NW authors attest. Feral Creatures by Kira Jane Buxton. Facing a battle in Seattle against a mutant horde, Cheeto loving crow S.T. takes Dee, the sole surviving human, under his wing, in the hilarious sequel… Continue reading

  • Our Favorite Fantasy Fiction of 2022

    I’d say Fantasy Fiction is enjoying a “renaissance,” but it never went away, and has garnered massive mainstream interest since a certain boy wizard’s first day at Hogwart’s, or even since Bilbo left the Shire. That said, today’s fantasy readers can choose from an unprecedented diversity of subgenres, settings, voices and themes. We recently compiled… Continue reading

  • Taking a walk on the weird side of Fantastical Seattle

    Taking a walk on the weird side of Fantastical Seattle

    We all know that Seattle is fantastic, but only fantasy readers know just how much so. Seattle not-quite-as-we-know-it has appeared in many fantasy novels. Urban fantasy fans will be familiar with Kat Richardson’s classic Greywalker series, in which psychic sleuth Harper Blaine solves crimes along the natural and supernatural faultline that passes right through our… Continue reading

  • Talking Romance (and Sci-Fi and Speculative Fiction) with Librarian Misha Stone

    At the Emerald City Writers’ Conference in October, the Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America (GSRWA) named our very own Adult Services Librarian Misha Stone their Librarian of the Year, citing Misha’s commitment to promoting the romance genre and uplifting traditionally marginalized voices. Misha has been a librarian in the Seattle area since graduating from… Continue reading

  • A guide to exploring new genres

    Each year, groups of librarians from across the country hole up in a room (this year, a virtual room) to discuss and select the best books from the year before. The Notable Books List features literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; the Listen List is all about outstanding audiobooks; and The Reading List, which I want… Continue reading

  • Magical Tales by Women of Color

    I went on a search for stories with a magical theme to them by authors who are women of color. On my search I managed to procure these six stories for your enjoyment. They are all a little different, so hopefully you’ll find one to strike your fancy. The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig… Continue reading

  • Four Flights of Fantasy for Your Listening Pleasure

    Tired of looking longingly out your window while stuck inside? Then escape into these fantastic worlds each offering endless hours of aural pleasure! Each of these first books in their respective series represent a different flavor in the enormous fantasy pie. Have a slice, or better yet try them all! Happy listening.  The Belgariad Series… Continue reading

  • Always Open: Fictional Libraries and Bookstores

    While we all ache and yearn to return to the dusty stacks where we find so much enjoyment, enlightenment, and entertainment, here are a selection of available eAudiobooks featuring Libraries and Bookstores that are always open! Midnight at Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan, read by Madeleine Maby This dark and suspenseful thriller starts with… Continue reading

  • Speculative Short Stories to Read or Listen to Online

    Friday the 13th of March was a dynamic scene at the Central Library, with patrons queuing for help to find good books to read during the library’s closure, and the DVD aisles packed with browsers. I miss assisting patrons in person in finding a great story to read or watch – though do visit my… Continue reading

  • Fantastic Librarians of the Future!!

    Fantastic Librarians of the Future!!

    Many years ago – back in the ‘oughts – we did a couple of popular posts on librarians in fiction, and in fantasy. Since then, librarians have only stepped up their fictional game, appearing in more and more novels, not so surprising when we consider that many authors basically grew up in libraries. They pop… Continue reading

  • If You Like Game of Thrones

    Frustrated that George RR Martin’s “Game of Thrones” series still isn’t finished, or that the TV spinoff is? Either way, if you’re looking for fresh  fantastical worlds to lose yourself in, replete with political machinations, bloodthirsty scheming and shocking twists, here are some recent epic fantasy series starters for you to dive into. Continue reading