fantasy – comedy

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Summary: Argyle’s particular about how to be human, but rules must be broken to save his favorite town. Of all the towns on Argyle Mim’s trading routes, he’s always enjoyed visiting Merseton best. The residents understand the unusual, and he can’t deny he’s far from usual. So when he learns of a cavalry troop bent on destroying his favorite town, Argyle races to warn them and becomes more involved in the town’s defense than he’d anticipated. Fen Pepper never wanted to be a cavalry soldier, but when his brother is forcibly conscripted, he volunteers. He’s always protected Cor from people who don’t understand him, and he’s not about to stop now. A monster-killing obsessed captain leads the cavalry troop, and their target is the little town of Merseton, which might or might not exist. When Cor is injured during a skirmish, Fen stays with him while the rest of the troop flees—abandoning them to a town of monsters. But all is not what it seems, and Fen finds his prejudices and fears challenged at every turn. Trader Argyle takes Fen under his wing and helps him navigate this odd new world. The cavalry will return—Fen knows their captain well enough for that—endangering the people who rescued him and his brother. While Fen reconsiders the bad information he’s been fed all his life and tries not to consider his growing feelings for Argyle, he knows he’ll have to choose between questionable loyalty and the truth right in front of him. This book contains: one cat who knows more than she should, some horrible holy relics, and a number of very angry birds.

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Summary: When Perfection Collides With Chaos, Sparks Fly Crispin Eladrin, desk fae at the Office of the Lost, could find a needle in ten haystacks. His desk is so neat it would make an accountant blush, and he's never failed to complete a recovery mission. He has no idea how adorable he is, especially when he's at his most annoyingly officious. Enter utterly chaotic Leopold Lane. His life is a masterclass in disastrous events--and it's about to get worse. He's the latest thing that Crispin has been sent to retrieve, but when they meet, sparks fly. Literally. And now they must find their way back before someone—or something—enchants them, eats them, or stomps them to death. Neither knows why the Office of the Lost is so hell-bent on acquiring Leo, but they're determined to survive long enough to find out--and to see if opposites really do attract.

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Summary: Just when Tai Jotun is starting to come to grips with her Kitsune heritage, life throws her more curveballs than an MLB playoff. The ghost of her dead cousin is following her around and wreaking havoc on the renovations at the club. Her grandmother Inari's idea of help gives her a headache, and now she has to learn to control her Strigoi powers on top of everything else. Join Tai, Nico, and Magoo as they navigate contractors, heartbreak, and the undead.

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Summary: Tai Jotun has never fit in with the Supernatural community she was raised in. No matter how hard she tried. So, she has settled for a life working as a paramedic. Little does she know that her powers have been suppressed since she was a small child. When those powers are suddenly released, her life is thrown into chaos. There are so many questions and not enough answers. Why is her cat suddenly talking? Who exactly is her elderly neighbor Uka? What are these inugami creatures that are stalking her? How is she going to hide this tail she can't seem to get rid of? Join Tai and friends, as they deal with monsters, mishaps, and magic.

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Summary: Disaster narrowly averted. New alliances and old enemies. Fentor's foes are advancing. His hairline is receding. His uniform is ... cheaply dyed. Mere weeks ago, the elves had been his bitterest enemies. Now, against all odds, his conscience had forced him to switch sides and save them from obliteration (although, they still didn't really like him much). With few supplies, few friends, little time, and a world to save, Fentor will have to find a way to build a rebellious movement. Also, if there's time, find a hat—or scarf, or something—to hide his rapidly retreating follicles. **** Fentor was sent stumbling back, obliged to match every forceful, wild, yet well-timed swing directed at him. All refinement forgotten, he did his best to simply fend off the onslaught and keep his balance. He made every effort not to kill his attackers. They did not extend the same courtesy to him. “It’s very rude to try and kill someone who’s showing you mercy, you know!” Fentor said, panting heavily. “Hear that, Cartín? A lesson in manners from Lord Lonochy himself!” “Well, I’ve never been more honored,” the Norimandian replied, in a voice so dry and droning that even Fentor almost snickered. “What about ‘All life cares for all life?’ Does that mean nothing to you?” Fentor asked. “Call this the exception that proves the rule!” Cartín said, punctuating his words with several quick thrusts. “But this is so dreadfully unfair! I’m one of the good people now!” Fentor pouted. **** Hiding from Elatea and her Greycoats. Desperately recruiting equally desperate crooks, runaways and ne'er-do-wells. Lacking any semblance of a plan or cohesion, but making up for it with bravado and panache. The war with elves continues, the same as ever, but Fentor knows that if he doesn't act soon, everything will change forever.

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Summary: A vampire on the run. An elf in need of a purpose.   Ro Laceleaf, failed forester, is the sole member of Merseton's town watch. It's not an exciting job by any means, but after Geoffrey's disastrous necromantic experiments, the townsfolk insist it's necessary. Ro is both diligent and bored out of his skull, until one night he's called to an emergency at Mrs. Pickle's. A vampire is attacking her house.   On the run for several years, Edmund is near starvation and out of options. His last hope for refuge? Merseton. He's heard the town welcomes people outside the ordinary. Edmund's certainly not an ordinary vampire. While he expected suspicion and initial hostility, he didn't anticipate a beating with a wet kitchen mop.   Ro needs to make the determination—is Edmund a monster or a potential resident? The more he speaks to Edmund, the more horrified Ro becomes over what he's been through. Edmund's telling the truth—Ro's certain of that—but he's not telling all of it. Ro needs to gain Edmund's trust to learn the whole story, about Edmund and the terrifying enemies hunting him, while not letting Edmund become a distraction. Yes, fine, he's already a distraction. But Ro's not going to fail, not this time. The town, and Edmund, will be safe, no matter what Ro has to do.   This book contains an adorable fruit bat, geese of frightening properties (since when aren't they?), co-habitating demons, and a guaranteed HEA.  

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Summary: A cozy high fantasy full of food, fun, and friendship. Here is the official blurb: Cooking, magic, and scandal. When a good deed boils into a mystery, can this talented artificer keep an innocent from going down for the crime? Dana Everet is loyal to a fault. Moving to a remote village to help a good friend make a fresh start, the celebrated magical inventor is certain her grannie’s cookbooks contain the perfect formula for delighting the locals with treats. But the surefire plan turns out half-baked when a search of her late grandmother’s old restaurant turns up nothing but crumbs. Suspecting the town innkeeper of the theft, Dana grows frustrated when the woman denies the charges and the local sheriff refuses to get involved. And with her supernatural power running low, the resident gossip vanishing, and her pal’s buried secret landing her on the suspect list, she scrambles to find the real culprit before it’s too late. Can Dana serve up justice, or will she be left with burnt offerings? Recipes for the Copper Snake is the charming first book in the Post Host cozy fantasy series. If you like big-hearted protagonists, quirky townsfolk, and chasing down clues, then you’ll love J.S. Ruff’s smorgasbord of fun.

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Summary: There are three certainties in modern life: death, taxes, and infuriating customer support. Even when you’re dead, you can’t catch a break. Ainlay Harrison is surprised to wake up as a ghost – and even more surprised to be onboarded into the AfterLife™’s most exciting project: hauntings. After a simple typo leaves Ainlay stranded at the wrong address, the only option is to correct the mistake – but that means going through the most feared and hated monster on either side of the grave: a customer service chatbot. Some things never change … and fighting through undead bureaucracy is enough to make anyone want to die. Will this blasted chatbot be enough to drive Ainlay to end it all? Or is there some way to drill some sense into this infernal bot? This tongue-in-cheek satirical novelette pokes fun at the gruelling realities of customer support and bureaucracy. Ainlay vs Infernal Support is a fun and witty read that’s perfect for fans of the TV series Ghosts and If Found, Return to Hell by Em X. Liu.

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Summary: Tormented by memories of past lives and a general distaste for structure, Sloane dropped out of a prestigious magic college to find themself. During their travels, they came across a curious little creature: a chatty spider that fit snugly in their hands. Unbeknownst to Sloane, this wasn’t a harmless garden or cellar spider. The spider had a thirst that mere flies couldn’t quench. It demanded blood and flesh, and when mice failed to suffice, moved on to bigger and dangerous prey. Sloane appeased it as best they could, but as the spider rapidly shot up in size, turned their focus from butcher shops to farms. Together, they concocted a plan to “solve” a manifested loss of cattle. The spider got a steady supply of food, and Sloane got street cred as a “monster slayer”. “What could possibly go wrong?” – Famous last words of any irresponsible pet owner. So now Sloane has a very real infestation to contend with, along with suspicious rangers and wannabe hunters edging in on their turf. “…I’m gonna need a bigger boot.”

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Summary: Venser is to be a guest at his own wedding. The eighth son of the High Priest of Aracoras, Venser was betrothed to the Leondra, daughter of Lunaria's paramount leader. At the crux of the arrangement is the Tomb of the Almighty, a landmark in Aracoras that is the resting place of a divine protector, a figure who helped their people escape above the sea of clouds. Venser and Leondra's impending marriage is so that Lunaria and its leaders can access the Tomb of the Almighty, a place forbidden to outsiders, and oversee the opening of the Tomb. While their fathers finalize the plans for their marriage, Venser and Leondra set out to unravel the mysteries of the Tomb of the Almighty, to answer the question of why they now seek to open the Tomb after it has remained sealed for generations. Information on the true nature of the Tomb has become scarce, and neither of them are willing to trust the lack of sources in Lunaria. Both also seek to escape the marriage neither of them wanted, and Venser hopes to escape the cage Aracoras has kept him in. Venser's journey sees him join with the crew of the airship Alamithea, visiting the other grand cities of the sky islands as he tries to escape his past and unravel the mysteries behind the Tomb of the Almighty and the sky islands themselves. With new companions and friends, like the jokester Matthias and the cantankerous Basch, Venser learns of the dark secrets underpinning the whole of their society, as well as the things about himself he never knew. But as they race across the sky, the darkness they don't see swells, and it's set on retaliation...

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Summary: Offend the Frost King? Get kicked from the Court. Land in the jaws of a living dinosaur?   Ink, the black ice fairy, isn't shocked that his frostiness banished her, but she's shocked to find herself sent to a swamp. It's hot, sticky and mucky—an ice fae's worst nightmare. Banishment means she's stuck with the heat and the stupid, hungry alligators. She's gone from knowing all the rules of her world to knowing absolutely nothing about existing in her soggy new home. At least the draiad guardian's kinda nice, though what the hell is a draiad? A thunderous boom and an ice fae being dropped into her swamp interrupted Pickerel's quiet, contemplative day of preserving flowers. The fae is abrasive, just shy of rude, and apparently unable to leave. The last thing Pickerel needs this close to the winter solstice celebration is another responsibility. But she can't ignore her host obligations, nor can she deny the fae is rather attractive. When dangerously reckless human poachers invade the swamp, all other concerns evaporate. Ink and Pickerel must learn to work together, combining their knowledge and their wildly different talents to combat the threat to the wildlife and the peace of the swamp. And—oh no—they might even have to admit they like each other.   Ice + Alligators is a novella that contains talkative squirrels, a mischievous and overly opinionated alligator, and a shy but grumpy fae who might've found a caring nature spirit who is everything she needed.

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Summary: This horror collection graphic novel contains the following stories: “And They Lived Long Enough to Bury Their Dead” is a dark fantasy comic zine about a group of Gen X goth/punk folks growing older and processing the deaths of loved ones. A paranormal urban fantasy, it centers around Billie, a nonbinary African-American alternative rocker from Oakland who develops the psychic ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Their nesting partner, Davis, a formerly homeless African-American transgender man, their twin brother Sean, a ghostcat, and the ghost of their mother are other central characters. In the story Billie, Davis, and their Gen X circle of friends are coming to terms with aging, the declining health (and loss) of their parents, and adjusting to a new post-pandemic world. It is an urban fantasy taking place in Oakland and the San Francisco Bay Area “Agrippa” is a dystopic near-future tale that takes place in an unnamed industrialized nation very much like the United States. When foreign creditors demand that the nation repay its considerable international debt or face war it enacts the Dulcetta Reforms, ultra-restrictive laws establishing debtor’s prison, and causing a large number of people – many of them seniors – to go to jail or even face execution if not continuously working to pay off their personal debts to the government. Dr. Tine, an expert in geriatric medicine, is desperately searching for employment at the beginning of our tale, having lost her useful functioning in society as the elders she once treated were rounded up and hauled off to the prison camps. Things were so bad she didn't think they could possibly get any worse. How very wrong she was. Dreamworlds: Beyond Somnalia - the author is plagued by a series of increasing demands from their fictional characters who come to take over the writer's life.

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Summary: In volume three of this widely-praised dark fantasy anthology series, the Night Bazaar, a secret marketplace of the rare, strange, occult, and dangerous, journeys to 19th century London. There, as usual, its vendors will purvey curious services, forbidden wares, and rare objects which cannot be had elsewhere, for any price. The midnight market has operated throughout history in various locales, appearing in a city for one week only, never to return. This time the Bazaar’s proprietress, the enigmatic and unflappable Madame Vera, escorts the reader on an eerie, fantastical British tour in ten linked short stories by various authors. Some tales feature such recognizable luminaries as Sherlock Holmes, occultist Madam Blavatsky, and Queen Anne Boleyn. Several take place during the Bazaar proper, while others occur earlier or later, tied to its 1880 London appearance by a curse or spell – or, by an object found, inherited, purchased, or stolen during the decades since, by the unsuspecting, foolish, or greedy (though seldom the completely innocent). Together, these ten linked stories take readers on a fantastical journey into astonishment, dread, and dark delight. The Night Bazaar still holds everything you’ve read about but thought had passed away, or perhaps never existed at all. How wrong you were! But be warned: as usual, each object or service comes with a gift, a curse, or a haunting. NOTE: THE VOLUMES IN THIS SERIES MAY BE READ IN ANY ORDER YOU LIKE!

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Summary: RISE (noun / verb) Eight definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) An upward slope or movement 2) A beginning or origin 3) An increase in amount or number 4) An angry reaction 5) To take up arms 6) To return from death 7) To become heartened or elated 8) To exert oneself to meet a challenge Rise features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

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Summary: A charming traditional quest fantasy, full handsome villains, dangerous sorcerers, and a pretty, perky apprentice. Not to mention lots of very cool magic!

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Summary: A young half-elf hermit with forgotten magic. An army officer with ambitions as grand as his moustache. Decades after it began, war still rages between humans and elves. For some, war is a proving ground, a chance to win glory and prestige. For others, they must avoid the horrors of war at all costs. The Elixir of Power could make guns and cannons—and elves—a thing of the past. All Slee wants is to remain hidden from the world, but the fighting is never far. With the mass-produced gears of war devouring the land, how could a reclusive half-elf like her ever hope to find peace? All Fentor wants is … everything. To make a name for himself. To be remembered. To win. With the Elixir of Power in his hands, victory is at last within reach. When these two meet, their worlds begin to change—in the most unexpected of ways.

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Summary: Doc thought treating grumpy house cats was challenging — until her latest patients torched everything she thought she knew. When Dr. Jordyn Blackstone stumbles upon an injured dragon, she can’t resist helping the creature. Before long, dragons from far and wide seek her expertise, and they’re not exactly the kind to sit still for shots. With dragons suddenly very real and no dragon-care textbook in sight, Doc can’t help but question her sanity while she develops dragon medicine on the fly. Amidst dodging horrid dragon breath and fiery sneezes, Doc discovers that the dragons trust her with not only their own lives, but the survival of their entire species. No pressure. Doc rises to the challenge, even though the work is tough, messy, and dangerous. But dealing with disgusting dragon snot is the least of her worries. To protect her extraordinary patients from being hunted to extinction, Doc must keep them secret — or risk not only their safety, but also her career, reputation, and clinic going up in smoke.

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Summary: Clarity (noun) Four definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) Coherent and intelligible 2) Transparent or pure 3) Attaining certainty about something 4) Easy to see or hear Clarity features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

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Summary: A collection of the "Brassbright Kids" stories PLUS a brand-new novelette! The Steamkettle Kids Save the Day - Can Paisley Pockets and Christopher Cogan stop a crime in progress? They may be just a couple of kids, but where there’s a will and some smarts, there just might be a way. The Legend of The Engineer - In a country called Industralia, children listen to a New Year's story about Frostica, the Engineer, and a magical train. A Life Invented - Gerard Liddle tinkers with his very first inventions - which sometimes work, and sometimes do unexpected things. The Steamkettle Kids and the Lucky Tentacles - After a hurricane shakes up Steamkettle Bay, Paisley Pockets, Christopher Cogan and Jimmy Cupper have an adventure as big as the sea. ~ NEW ~ The Secret of Tarragon Alley - Robin dreams of having a garden filled with flowers, just like Gramma did. When he brings home a little clay pot filled with gnarly, weird plants, he has no idea that it will take him on an amazing adventure.

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Summary: The road home has a few bumps in it. Leanna makes her way out of exile to take back her throne. She has the plan and the determination to fight. But when Jonathan is imprisoned in a foreign city, getting back to Kingsfield may prove more difficult than she thought. With no money and no army, Leanna may be in over her head. The life of everyone she cares about is on the line, and she must call in every favor and ally to take her city back. Can she succeed before anyone figures out the magical secrets of her manor? Will she be condemned to live life in a frozen wilderness?