I have a background in academia, in the finest liberal arts tradition. Although I am a retired professor in the field of Information technology, I have read extensively in military history, sociology, economics, Buddhist philosophy, mythology and all manner of fantasy fiction. This list of books reflects my favorites, in large part because of their solid writing - as an author, I can no longer tolerate mediocre prose. I am always eager to share my favorite fantasy fiction with other readers who love deeply complicated stories with unforgettable characters.
I find myself drawn to books that span multiple genres, and Dead Egyptians is one of my favorites.
Is it historical fiction, paranormal fantasy, magical realism, or homoerotic thriller? Yes, yes it is. Add in some (spoiler alert) really kinky sex between two gods, and boy, is this a book that defies easy categorization.
"Dead Egyptians takes the reader on a vast, rollicking ride through history, reincarnation, romance and more... " –Susan Martell Huebner, author She Thought the Door Was Locked
In Egypt, all things are possible. So discovers Albion Stanley, a recent Cambridge graduate and brilliant linguist, newly arrived in Cairo in 1902. Albion sees the unseen, including ghosts. It is a less than comfortable reality, which he tends to with copious amounts of whiskey and numerous other vices.
Also in Cairo is Aleister Crowley, the famed occultist. Aleister is a dangerous man, but not an unsympathetic one and never a dull one.…
While not a fantasy, this book is another genre-bending novel that I could not put down.
It starts out as a straightforward psychological thriller, but quickly expands to include discussions of religion, mental illness, and (no kidding) a treatise on quantum field theory. How it manages to do this while maintaining the tension of a thriller is quite a feat.
"Daniel Burke's VIBRATIONS IN THE FIELD is a surprising, scintillating, and hard-hitting blend of intrigue, spirituality, and quantum physics that makes for a truly compelling journey." –IndieReader
Good men take the Hippocratic oath, and evil ones break it. Sweet Jane learned that firsthand.
Young, beautiful, and brilliant, Jane Carter was on the verge of achieving her PhD in quantum physics when they first appeared, visitors from other universes that no one else could see. Desperate to hold on to her dreams, she turned to a psychiatrist whose controversial treatment promised to rid her of the hallucinations and restore her sanity.…
The Victorian mansion, Evenmere, is the mechanism that runs the universe.
The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.
Appointed the Steward of Evenmere, Carter Anderson must learn the…
Is it historical fantasy, urban fantasy, magical realism, or queer romantasy? Once again, the answer is yes. When I try to explain this book to someone, I find myself stuck between what it is and what it is not.
It is simultaneously unrealistic, oddly relatable, and weird. Very, very weird. It is not predictable. That is why I love it.
What I loved most about this book is its unusual approach to story structure.
The first chapter read like the script for an indie arthouse film, a monologue that was disconnected to the point of incoherence. Some readers gave up on the book at that point, but I’m so glad I didn’t.
By the end, the author sharpens the image, pulls together all the various subplots, and provides a deeply satisfying conclusion. I am ready to fall into the next book in the series.
A mythical deity. A hidden prophecy. Will fighting her destiny herald death for everyone she loves?
Elliah knows she shouldn't be alive. A youthful wood elf bereft of magic, she's spent her long-lived childhood drifting from town to town as her mother conceals her from those who believe she needs to be culled. Sick of feeling like an outcast, she's intrigued when she meets a young half-breed who encourages her to view her odd nature as a gift instead of a flaw.
When a misstep draws undue attention, Elliah and her mother quickly leave the village in the company of…
The Guardian of the Palace is the first novel in a modern fantasy series set in a New York City where magic is real—but hidden, suppressed, and dangerous when exposed.
When an ancient magic begins to leak into the world, a small group of unlikely allies is forced to act…
Again, not a fantasy, but I still think it fits the category because it defies easy categorization.
What separates this from the standard noir thriller are the wacky characters and whip-smart plot – part Dashiell Hammet, part Carl Hiassen.
What elevates it is the author’s willingness to explore how his protagonist can stop evil without compromising his basic human values in the process. Another deeply weird, deeply satisfying read.
El Buscador has long been legendary for revealing, to select visitors, New York's secrets. Now he confronts his greatest challenge: the real estate mogul Timothy Terrance Tolland has been erecting skyscrapers at an alarming rate. Tolland's mysterious construction at Canal Street threatens to tear the city's fabric. Aided by a group of investigative reporters, El Buscador looks to bring Tolland down before his building forever transforms the skyline.
But the battle also goes on below the street as Tolland has initiated a campaign of dyeing the city's rats blue so that the vermin become as much of his brand as…
Minna Hunter's world is forever changed when she wakes to find orbs of light dancing through the trees in her remote village. But in an empire where communing with spirits is punishable by death, Minna's newfound ability is more of a curse than a blessing. Branded a witch, she resigns herself to a lonely existence - until her sister, Alyn, also gains spirit sight. Determined to never leave her sister alone, Minna promises to protect her at all costs.
But Alyn is captured by the Inquisition, and Minna must save her. In the face of danger and deception, Minna must tap into her true potential and become the heroine her people need. Will she be able to master her spirit song and save her sister before it's too late?
Selected by Deesha Philyaw as winner of the AWP Grace Paley Prize in Short Fiction, Lake Song is set in the fictional town of Kinder Falls in New York’s Finger Lakes region. This novel in stories spans decades to plumb the complexities, violence, and compassion of small-town life as the…
Palmer Lind, recovering from the sudden death of her husband, embarks on a bird-watching trek to the Gulf Coast of Florida. One hot day on Leffis Key, she comes upon—not the life bird she was hoping for—but a floating corpse. The handsome beach bum who appears on the scene at…
