
Hi! I think this is in reference to the Kitty endpapers for the trade edition of Last King of Faerie? They are so pretty.

So, the choice to have Kit and Ty on the endpapers is because half the book is about them. I was so puzzled by the phrase “Dru and Kit book” that I thought we were discussing a different project and I couldn’t figure out what it was! I think it’s Last King of Faerie, but I would never think of it as a Dru and Kit book. For one thing, that sounds like they’re dating, which I think we can all agree would be a bad idea!
For another, Ty and Ash are just as important character-wise. We spend less time in their heads (although we do see from both POVs) but that is not a marker of how important a character is but rather a marker of what secrets people are keeping.
“Will we have more amazing Kit and Ty scenes”
That’s a very kind way to ask :) While I can’t say what happens, Kit and Ty have countless scenes together. Other than maybe the first chapter or two of the book, before Ty arrives at Cirenworth, they are together in every scene that either one of them is in. Except sometimes one of them goes to the bathroom. I hope we will not judge them for being apart at those moments. :)
Kit and Ty are just as important as Dru and Ash and they get just as much page time, in fact, if you’re counting pages they get maybe ten more. But I do think when you’ve come down to counting pages it may be more of an anxiety exercise than anything else!
I am sure there will be lots of Kitty artwork. I will certainly commission art, but most art is at the whim of the fanartists of our lovely fandom. I do not think they will let you down.
There are other editions with other endpapers that are not Kit and Ty — there’s Dru and Ash, there’s Livvy, there’s the Seelie Court. But the main and most common edition you’ll find is Kitty and we chose that because half the book is their story.
(I’m trying to be better about answering questions! Stay with me!)

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Red Star Rebelsby Amy Kaufman
Savage Heroes (Star, February 1977). Cover by Les Edwards
A couple more Sword & Sorcery anthology reviews: first up is Savage Heroes (Subtitled Tales of Sorcery & Black Magic) (1977), from British Publisher Star, edited by Eric Pendragon and illustrated by the great Jim Pitts, who is still working today. The cover looks to have been done by Les Edwards, however.
It contains stories by C. L. Moore (Jirel), Henry Kuttner (Elak), Clark Ashton Smith, Clifford Ball, Ramsey Campbell, Daphne Castell, Karl Edward Wagner (Kane), David Drake, and Robert E. Howard. The REH tale is “The Temple of the Abomination,” a Cormac Mac Art tale.
[Click the images for savage versions.]
Savage Heroes Table of Contents
A solid collection, though probably not the absolute best stories by these authors. Drake’s “The Barrow Troll” is one of his better ones. I remember being disappointed a little in this collection because I had almost all these stories already in other collections.
Second up, Heroic Fantasy (1979), from DAW with a cover by Jad. Edited by Gerald W. Page and Hank Reinhardt. A much thicker collection than Savage Heroes and it scratched an itch the other didn’t because it was all new heroic fantasy stories (at the time).
Inside cover and introduction for Savage Heroes. Illustration by Jim Pitts
It contains:
“Sand Sister” by Andre Norton (Witch World)
“The Valley of the Sorrows” by Galad Elflandsson
“Ghoul’s-Head” by Donald J. Walsh, Jr.
“Astral Stray” by Adrian Cole (Voidal Tale)
“Blood in the Mist” by E. C. Tubb
“The Murderous Dove” by Tanith Lee
“Death in Jukun” by Charles R. Saunders (Imaro)
“The De Pertriche Ring” by H. Warner Munn
“The Hero Who Returned” by Gerald W. Page
“The Riddle of the Horn” by Darrell Schweitzer
“The Age of the Warrior” by Hank Reinhardt
“The Mistaken Oracle” by A. E. Silas
“Demonsong” by F. Paul Wilson
“The Seeker in the Fortress” by Manly Wade Wellman (Kardios tale)
It also contained three nonfiction essays, which I liked: Commentary on Swords and Swordplay, Commentary on Armor, and Commentary on Courage and Heroism, all by Hank Reinhardt.
Heroic Fantasy (DAW Books, April 1979). Cover by Jad
This was my first introduction to Charles Saunders’ Imaro character and it was a dynamite story that made me an instant fan. I also particularly enjoyed the Gerald Page and Adrian Cole stories, but my favorite was E. C. Tubb’s tale. I’d read a lot of his Dumarest stories but this was Sword & Sorcery and I loved it. It was third in a series Tubb did about this character, “Malkar.”
The Malkar stories seem to have been gathered in print in 1999 in two volumes, Death God’s Doom and The Sleeping City, but the prices are pretty outrageous so I haven’t bought them. BTW, I thought the weakest story in the book was the ending tale by Manly Wade Wellman.
Charles Gramlich administers The Swords & Planet League group on Facebook, where this post first appeared. His last article for us was A Sword and Planet Quiz. See all of his recent posts for Black Gate here.
Hi guys! I am so excited to share with you the final cover for The Last King of Faerie, book 1 of the Wicked Powers! It features Dru Blackthorn (and yes, future covers will feature Kit, Ty, and Ash, in some combination!) I am so happy to be working with Cliff Nielson, who has designed all the Shadowhunter covers since City of Bones, to make Wicked Powers both stand out as its own vibe and also fit with the rest of the Shadowhunter books. It’s so weird to think of counting down to the last one!
And as much gorgeousness as there is with the cover, the trade edition (the one you’re seeing here) has such a beautiful gold-stamped cover and lovely Kitty endpapers* (swoon, thank you @frostbitestudios!), so swipe to see those, too. Trade edition means “the one you will find around everywhere and can buy at Amazon or indies” — I’ll update a bit later with special edition news!
*Lest anyone decide this contains important information about who is taller, Kit is on a different step than Ty :)



Here are 7 Author Shoutouts for this week. Find your favorite author or discover an…
The post 7 Author Shoutouts | Authors We Love To Recommend appeared first on LitStack.
Clockwork Boys (Clocktaur War #1)by T. KingfisherSolentine Dagarra. Bastard son of a hero margrave, secret head of the Shears, devoted older brother, cousin, and son. Urbane, charming, ruthless. Noble by day, assassin by night, effortless thirst trap on all occasions.
Favorite quote: “Nothing is more annoying than a man who doesn’t have the decency to die after he’s murdered.”
It is said that the male lead belongs to the heroine.* Solentine is not the male lead. He belongs to everyone.
Artwork by Helena Elias
*The Romance of Tiger and Rose, cdrama.
Large files ahead. Click the images to view the artwork in detail.
A small snippet from Solentine’s short story.
A wiry woman charged Sol, swinging a short sword. He leaned back, and the point of her blade fanned his face, cutting only air. He spun past her, stabbing and slashing. She fell, and he kept moving. A tall dark-haired fighter blocked his way. Sol stabbed him twice, once in the kidney and then in the stomach, rupturing the bowels, and kicked his leading leg out from under him. The third man, in his thirties, with his red hair tied back, dropped his club and raised his hands. Sol pointed his left dagger at the wall, where the small man lay, crumpled on the floor. The man obeyed and ran there.
The last remaining fighter swung a long slender blade, drawing an elaborate pattern around himself. Southeastern style. The man was in his mid-twenties, athletic and light on his feet. A pricy haircut, a decent sword. A small medallion embossed with a white sword hung around his neck. Fador had hired himself a mercenary duelist.
The mercenary cut the air with a flourish. “I am Derrein of Garver. I have never lost a fight to the death.”
“I would imagine so,” Sol said. “Or we wouldn’t be having this conversation, would we?”
“Whom do I have the honor of …”
Sol struck. Derrein saw the attack coming but wasn’t fast enough. Sol’s right dagger slid into his side, lacerating the liver. The mercenary stumbled away, clutching at the red stain spreading through his tunic.
Sol pointed at the door. Derrein fled. If he made it to a healer in time, he’d have a chance to recover, though his ego likely never would.
Promotion, we do it:
BOOKSHOP
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"It's him, isn't it?" Dawn breathes. "It's the Maleficent One, the Void King. He wants-"

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.
Publisher: Ace (January 20, 2026) Page count: 463 p Formats: audiobook, ebook, hardcover
I’ve been reading The Dresden Files for a long time now. It’s one of the very few long-running series I’ve stuck with. It’s had highs and lows, but Twelve Months shows Jim Butcher in excellent form again.
After the relentless escalation of Peace Talks and Battle Ground, this book slows down. It basically follows a year of Harry’s grief, fallout, and rebuilding.
Harry is hollowed out. Chicago is barely functioning after the Titan’s assault. Food is scarce. Infrastructure is wrecked. The supernatural world has been exposed, and fear is spreading. On top of that, Harry is juggling Thomas’s looming death sentence, training a new apprentice, navigating White Council politics (again), and preparing for an arranged marriage to Lara Raith under Mab’s orders.
The real conflict here is internal. For once, the greatest enemy in the book is grief. Harry struggles to eat. To sleep. To focus. His magic wavers because his control wavers. This is a far more introspective Dresden novel than we’re used to, and it works.
That doesn’t mean it’s dull. There are fights. There are ghouls prowling Chicago. There are political landmines, tense confrontations, and a climax that absolutely delivers. But the action feels more personal this time.
The biggest surprise for me was how well Butcher handled the relationships. Harry and Lara could easily have fallen into forced tension or cheap drama. Instead, their dynamic is layered and unexpectedly thoughtful. There’s distrust, yes, but also honesty and even vulnerability. It feels like growth.
Old allies step up too. Molly. Michael. Maggie. Even Mab, in her own severe way. The book reminds you how deep this cast is after eighteen installments.
Some readers will call this a transitional novel, and they’re not wrong. It’s a recalibration. A pause before the Outsider endgame looms closer. But it doesn’t feel like filler. After years of escalating power and misery, Butcher pulls the story back to its roots: Harry Dresden the man, not just the wizard.
For me, it might be some of the best writing in the series. More mature and more controlled. Less snark-for-snark’s-sake. The humor is still there, but it shares space with reflection and wisdom.
If the series needed a reset, this was the right way to do it.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Good afterevenmorn, Readers!
Since the release of Iron Lung, the independent film adaptation of the equally independent video game of the same name, I have been awash in articles, interviews and reviews about the piece. The algorithm has decided that that’s all I’ll get for now until the end of time. Well, that and general tarot readings, for some reason. I must admit, I have been following the story for a while, so it’s partially my fault. And it has also let me down the wonderful warren that is upcoming video game adaptations. And I want to talk about it.
Some of these are from games might all recognise – video games by the big studios that are or have been part of the cultural milieu for a while now – Mortal Kombat, Sonic the Hedgehog, Street Fighter, Silent Hill (the return to which released early this year and was not well-received. I did not watch it, so I can’t comment). The list goes on.
With the exception of Mortal Kombat (the most recent movie was meh, but I am absolutely going to go see this next one, due out in May. I think attaching Karl Urban to the lead role, and following Johnny Cage will make for a fun, if ultimately frivolous movie-going experience), I’m not particularly excited about any of these releases. I am incredibly excited for others, though. Ghost of Tsushima was an excellent game, with a brilliant story that I cannot wait to share with my non-gaming father. I will be at the cinema when it is released. And I will be dragging him with me. I am equally excited about God of War. The original games were fun nonsense, but the reworking of Kratos and his story in the 2018 game (and on) was a brilliant piece of storytelling as well as being a fantastic game. I will be there will bells on whenever that series is released (2027 is the projected year, with filming to begin in March of this year).
Both of those games rank among my top five games I’ve played.
I have to admit, my excitement is a little tempered. Not all video game adaptations have been much good. In fact, very few of them are, I feel. But that is changing. The Last of Us has proven that video games can become really brilliant television shows, giving me hope of God of War. While not for everyone, I thought Iron Lung was excellent, and with the director attached to Ghost of Tsushima (Chad Stahelski of John Wick fame), I’m optimistic about that film being something as special as the game was.
The point is, good adaptations of video games are possible. They key here, I think, is to respect the original games and their stories. Not all film makers can or will. But I’m certain that as long as they do, the adaptations will be good.
That’s not really why I’m here, though. I’m here to cheer on the independents. A surprising number of these promised adaptations are of independently produced video games; passionate work by passionate people who don’t have the benefit of recognisable studios or distributors behind them. This is glad tidings for me; not because I’ve played these games, necessarily, but because it proves that if people are left alone to craft what they want to, and not what some suit relying on sterile numbers demands, excellent stories can and will be produced. There is hope for story-telling out there; in every medium.
So, here is a couple of independent video games (other than Five Nights at Freddie’s, which is another independent success story) that have been or will be given adaptations that I am thrilled to see, even if I may not check them out:

First up is The Exit 8 (also sometimes just called Exit 8). Developed and published by Kotake Create/Kotakenotokeke, this game is essentially a spooky spot the difference. Seen through the player’s perspective (first person), the player is given simple instructions: If everything looks normal or is the same as before, continue to the next level/exit. Otherwise, turn back. The differences can range between jump scares to just the extremely creepy. The game is simple enough, but very atmospheric. I did not think it would be enough for an adaptation, but I was mistaken. It was given one. Directed and co-written by Genki Kawamura, the film released in Japan August of last year. And it is coming to cinemas this year. Distributed by Neon, it will be released in April.
I think I will make this one my April date-for-one movie. I’m not a horror girly by any stretch, but this looks to be more psychological, and I’m keenly interested in seeing how they managed to make this simple game into a film.

Phasmaphobia is another independent game (by British independent studio Kinetic Games) that has rumours of an adaptation surrounding it. I say rumours because although it’s been reported that Blumhouse has acquired the rights for adaptation, development hell exists, so until it starts filming, I will remain hopeful but realistic. Designed to be a multi-player co-op game, the team is hired to investigate haunted locations and, depending on the evidence they accrue, identify the thing that is haunting the place. Presumably so that someone else can go in to perform the correct exorcism? I don’t know. The players are not expected to exorcise the thing, just identify it.
I have not played this game, but is has given rise to one of my favourite gaming moments that I have ever had the pleasure of watching:
It still makes me laugh. Really hard.
While a fun game to play, there really isn’t a defined story in this one; just a bunch of missions/jobs. Still, it is easier is see how it would be adapted into a film; provided that the writers are good (there has been a writing problem in films of late. Perhaps I’ll rant about that in a later post, if I’m feeling cranky enough about it). It is also a much more traditional horror, so I might give this one a miss when it comes out. This is the kind of thing that would give me nightmares. If the story can manage to be compelling enough, however, maybe I’ll just suck it up. I’m undecided. The script will be everything here.
Perhaps the biggest independent title being given an adaptation is the 2025 smash hit RPG game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 .

Developed by French studio Sandfall Interactive, this game made waves in the scene. It won nine awards, including Game of the Year in the Game Awards 2025, was nominated for a slew of others in other awards, winning five of their eight nominations, including Game of the Year again for the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. This is one I have not yet played (though I really want to), but I have heard nothing but exceptional things from the gamers I have in my life. I don’t know much about the plot of this one. I have been trying very hard not to learn too much about it, because I want to discover it for myself when I finally do get to play it. You know, when I can finally afford a PS5.
Anyway, I’m really excited about this one, just because I’ve heard so many good things about the game.
This is just a few examples of video game adaptations that are in the works. Granted, that list is still dominated by the big name games from the big game studios, but the prevalence of independent games getting seen and (dare I hope) respected by those who are adapting the stories from video games. While the opportunity to make bank is still the biggest deciding factor, I feel, I am also seeing an openness to those stories that capture the imagination, and a willingness to listen to voices that don’t have the biggest budgets behind them. This lets me hope that some people do still care about craft and story, and not just their wallets.
It’s heartening.
Are there any adaptations you’re particularly looking forward to? I’d be interested to hear. I know I’ve missed many.
When S.M. Carrière isn’t brutally killing your favorite characters, she spends her time teaching martial arts, live streaming video games, and sometimes painting. In other words, she spends her time teaching others to kill, streaming her digital kills… and sometimes relaxing. Her most recent titles include Daughters of Britain, Skylark and Human. The Timbercreek Incident is free to read on Wattpad.
I’m thrilled to have a guest post by science fiction and fantasy author Michael Swanwick to share with you today—and to be giving away a copy of his new SFF collection! His previous work includes the World Fantasy Award–winning novella “Radio Waves” and the additional stories collected in Tales of Old Earth; the collection The Dog Said Bow-Wow, which includes the Hugo Award–winning short story of the same name; and the Nebula Award–winning novel Stations of the Tide. His latest book, The […]
The post Michael Swanwick Guest Post and Book Giveaway first appeared on Fantasy Cafe.It’s Monday and I can’t think of a title, because Sookie Jean woke up at dark o’clock and then proceeded to wander about. I took her outside, thinking this was a bathroom emergency. Sookie walks very, very slowly now. She is of advanced age, and I have to hover in case she wipes out. She is 80lbs, and it takes a bit of strength to get her back up. It was cold, I was in my nightgown outside for about 15 minutes, and when I brought her in, she kept huffing and puffing, and waking me up every time I closed my eyes.
The culprit
Let’s all hope I make sense. If I don’t, I don’t care. I’m too tired, and I just want to go back to writing. Phhh.
Reactor PreviewDear Commonwealth and everyone else who could not download a free preview of This Kingdom, Reactor Magazine is running the preview as a serial with illustrations. You can now access it as well.
CLICK HERE TO READ UK Special EditionRemember how I said we can announce nothing? Okay, we can now announce this. The UK now has 3 editions.
Previously we had:
Regular Hardcover
Waterstones
And now we also have the Broken Binding edition.
The Broken Binding is signed. That is to mean, we signed way too many pages and sent them back to UK. Waterstones will be signed also. ::slaps hand over twitching eye::
To learn more about the Broken Binding Edition: Instagram Post. To learn more about The Broken Binding: website.
To reiterate for UK, AUS, and Commonwealth: flower edges – regular hardcover, gilded pattern – Waterstones, drezmur and tower – the Broken Binding.
The TourWhen the tour was announced, we did a post, but some of the tickets were not yet available. We had dinner with Jessie Mihalik and Mr. Mihalik last night, and she reminded me that nobody remembers by now that you need tickets to attend the tour stops.
Here is the link to the tour again. The information is always available on the Appearances page. If you want to attend, please RSVP.
BOOK TOUR SCHEDULEI was going to post artwork today, but this post is already full, so that’s a mission for tomorrow. Love you, I’m out, we have a battle to finish.
The post This Kingdom: Lots of Stuff, Read This first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

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Paws for thought?
Toes are my pawses. Shove off.
Ooh, he’s deep.
Hip deep, maybe.
Laugh track in 3.2.1…
Is that a paws make tracks joke? Because, if so, I quit.
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