Epic Fantasy Novels

• Editorials

Elric vs. Conan: The Two Poles of Sword and Sorcery

markcromwell March 3, 2026 0

One is a black-haired barbarian who fights his way to a throne. The other...

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• Editorials
• Recommendations

Appendix N: The Secret Reading List That Built D&D

markcromwell March 3, 2026 0

"In 1979, Gary Gygax hid a reading list at the back of the Dungeon...

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• Author Studies
• Deep Dives

The Man Tolkien Learned From

markcromwell February 27, 2026 0

"Before Tolkien invented Middle-earth, an Irish aristocrat in a medieval castle invented Pegāna. Tolkien...

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• Author Studies
• Craft

Seduced by Entropy: Plot Casting and the Beautiful Decay in Clark Ashton Smith’s Zothique Cycle

markcromwell February 26, 2026 0

"Clark Ashton Smith didn't just write dark fantasy. He built five-movement emotional machines —...

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• Epic Fantasy

Why Lawful Good Heroes Vanished

markcromwell February 24, 2026 0

How fantasy fiction abandoned moral clarity, why readers are hungry for heroes who believe...

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• Epic Fantasy

Why Lawful Good Heroes Vanished

markcromwell February 24, 2026 0

Why Lawful Good Heroes Vanished Epic Fantasy Novels · February 2026 Somewhere between Sturm...

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• Editorials

Adventure Fantasy vs. Romance Fantasy: Why the Genre Split Matters

markcromwell February 23, 2026 0

"Romantasy hit $610M in 2024. Adventure fantasy readers migrated to manga, LitRPG, and web...

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• Book Recommendations

Labyrinths

markcromwell February 23, 2026 0

Our take on Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges. Adventure-first fantasy reading.

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• Book Recommendations

Something Wicked This Way Comes

markcromwell February 23, 2026 0

Our take on Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. Adventure-first fantasy reading.

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• Book Recommendations

Fire & Blood

markcromwell February 23, 2026 0

Our take on Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin. Adventure-first fantasy reading.

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