Genre Fiction

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Book Review: A Quill Ladder by Jennifer Ellis (with an Interview)

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For my May contribution to this year’s focus on female writers, I wanted to feature two young adult SciFi/Fantasy titles written by women authors whose work I enjoy and initially discovered by happenstance:  Jennifer Ellis and Frances Hardinge. Even if you don’t typically read YA, you certainly know some children or young adults who are looking for good reads in the genre, and both of these writers deserve plenty of appreciation. First up for this post is Jennifer Ellis. Ellis is an indie author from Canada who writes both middle-grade science fiction/fantasy novels and adult dystopic novels featuring elements of adventure, romance, and environmental themes. I discovered her work through a Goodreads giveaway listing for her adult novel In the Shadows of the Mosquito Constellation. It looked potentially interesting to me, but looking at her website and blog really sold me on taking the time to check out the novel. Though I didn’t win the giveaway, I was able to get an electronic version directly from her; immediately upon starting it, I was drawn in and impressed through the end.

The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

#34. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) — A Shoot the WISB Subcast

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http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/ShootTheWISB34AvengersAgeOfUltron/ShootTheWisb34–AvengersAgeOfUltron.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSVisions, androids, and Hulks, oh my!  The crew assembles to discuss Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel’s newest (and expected) box office success.  We discuss the film’s pace, Black Widow, the film universe, our film grades, and much more! We hope you enjoy the episode! Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Spoiler Alert:  the following podcast contains spoilers for the film being reviewed; if you wish to see the film without having it ruined for you, download this podcast and save it for later.

Blog Posts

Short and Sublime: April 2015 Round-Up

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April stories include historical fantasies, fairy tales, near futures, and one space fantasy tale. “Wild Things Got To Go Free” (Beneath Ceaseless Skies #170) by Heather Clitheroe works because of, and is refreshing due to, its spare worldbuilding. Soldiers are rounding up and hunting down certain civilians, who are turning into, or have the potential to turn into, other creatures — which includes the young protagonist and her mother. The two young women in “The Ways of Walls and Words” (Tor.com) by Sabrina Vourvoulias are similarly threatened by the yoke of the real world Spanish empire; though they, and their ways of life, couldn’t be more different. It’s a story about friendship, Nahuatl magic, and the power behind language.

Blog Posts

The April 2015 Read List: What You Read and Loved

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Last week, I asked for listeners/readers to share their favorite reads from April 2015.  The following is a reading list comprised of those favorite reads.  Do with this mystical knowledge what you will! Novels: Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb Edge of Dark by Brenda Cooper The Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear The Boy Who Lost Fairyland by Catherynne M. Valente I, Robot by Isaac Asimov The Stars Seem So Far Away by Margrét Helgadottir Beasts of Tabat by Cat Rambo Last First Snow by Max Gladstone Short Stories: “The Shape of My Name” by Nino Cipri There you have it.  It’s a small list, but we just started this fancy feature. I’ll put up a call for your favorite reads from May later this month!  Now get reading!

The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

270. Logan’s Run (1976) — A Torture Cinema “Adventure”

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http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SandFEpisode270LogansRun/SandF%20–%20Episode%20270%20–%20Logan's%20Run.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS(I’ve temporarily disabled comments on this post because of an excess number of irritating spam.  I’ll enable comments again in the future.  If you’d like to get in touch about the episode, send us an email.) Carousels, Popsicle people, and protein from the sea, oh my!  In this very special “Childhood Destruction” edition of Torture Cinema, the entire crew (minus Mike) join forces to talk about David’s childhood movie crush, Logan’s Run. We hope you enjoy the episode! Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below): Episode 270 — Download (MP3) Show Notes:

The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

269. Eric Choi (a.k.a. The Space Dragon) — An Interview at LonCon3

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http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SandFEpisode269EricChoiAtLonCon3/SandF%20–%20Episode%20269%20–%20Eric%20Choi%20at%20LonCon3.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSHard SF, airplanes, and anthology masters, oh my!  Eric Choi joined us at LonCon3 last year to discuss writing, his editing work (with Ben Bova, of all people), and much more!  Plus, we learned a little bit about airplanes as they flew over us. We hope you enjoy the episode! Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below): Episode 269 — Download (MP3) Show Notes:

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