Alchemical Words

Epic Adventures in Fantasy Literature and Speculative Fiction

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  • Home
  • Worldbuilding
  • Fantasy Tropes
  • Subgenres
  • Book Reviews
  • Women in Fantasy
  • About
  • Home
  • Worldbuilding
  • Fantasy Tropes
  • Subgenres
  • Book Reviews
  • Women in Fantasy
  • About
Book Reviews

The Black Company – Fantasy Book Review

Alchemical Words reviews the epic military fantasy, The Black Company by Glen Cook I decided to expand my fantasy books reading list reading, including fantasy books that I might not…

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July 31, 2013
Book Reviews

She Is The Darkness – Fantasy Book Review

Alchemical Words reviews She Is The Darkness, the eighth book of the best-selling epic fantasy book series, The Black Company by Glen Cook. This epic military fantasy series was started…

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August 11, 2013
Book Reviews

Water Sleeps – Fantasy Book Review

Alchemical Words reviews Water Sleeps; the ninth book in the epic military fantasy series, The Black Company, by author Glen Cook. I know a lot of reading orders for this…

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August 13, 2013
Fantasy Tropes

Defining High Fantasy

In a previous post, I talked about the definition of Low Fantasy. Today, I’m tackling defining High Fantasy. High Fantasy takes place in a purely fictional world which has its…

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September 8, 2013
Fantasy Tropes

Defining Low Fantasy

A few weeks ago, I broke my first blog. I mean really broke it. Rolling server error messages, dead end re-directs, page not found messages… you name it, it was…

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September 6, 2013
  • Fantasy Tropes

    The Flawed Hero: Shades of Morally Gray to Shades of Good

    Teresa Coffey / May 30, 2023 / No Comments

      The Moral Evolution of the Flawed Hero   Antiheroes are flawed heroes. One key characteristic of these flawed heroes, these antiheroes, is their potential for growth and change. As the story progresses, they may experience a moral evolution, navigating a path toward redemption or self-discovery. This journey can involve confronting their flaws, reconciling their conflicting motivations, or learning valuable…

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    Antihero

    The Antihero: An Unexpected Hero

    May 30, 2023

    Unique Fantasy Combinations – Oh, The Possibilities

    August 26, 2013
    The Silver Spike by Glen Cook

    The Silver Spike – Fantasy Book Review

    August 3, 2013
  • Antihero
    Fantasy Tropes

    The Antihero: An Unexpected Hero

    Teresa Coffey / May 30, 2023 / No Comments

    The Antihero: Everyone Loves a Good Bad Boy   These charismatic bad boys are complex and unconventional protagonists who possess qualities that deviate from the traditional hero archetype. Unlike the typical hero, the antihero lacks the idealized attributes of bravery, selflessness, and unwavering morality. Instead, they often exhibit flawed characteristics, such as moral ambiguity, selfishness, cynicism, or a propensity for…

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    The Awakening - Before True Light

    Book Review: The Awakening – Before True Light

    January 2, 2014
    Soldiers Live

    Soldiers Live – Fantasy Book Review

    August 15, 2013

    Kill The Girl! Women In Science Fiction And Fantasy

    November 25, 2013
  • Fantasy Worldbuilding

    Using Magic as a Metaphor: Exploring Symbolism and Allegory

    Teresa Coffey / May 21, 2023 / No Comments

      Using Magic as a Metaphor: Symbolism and Allegory Using Magic as a Metaphor: Magic can be used as a metaphorical tool to explore deeper themes, ideas, or social issues. Using magic as a metaphor allows authors to represent abstract concepts, such as power, transformation, or the human condition, through the use of magical elements. By infusing magic with symbolic…

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    Bleak Seasons by Glen Cook

    Bleak Seasons – Fantasy Book Review

    August 9, 2013

    Kill The Girl! Women In Science Fiction And Fantasy

    November 25, 2013
    fantasy genre mural

    What Is Missing In Fantasy?

    August 27, 2013
  • Fantasy Worldbuilding

    Using Magic for Worldbuilding: Ten Impressive Examples in Fantasy Literature

    Teresa Coffey / May 19, 2023 / No Comments

    The “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling: The magical world of Harry Potter is an excellent example of using magic for worldbuilding in fantasy fiction. The Harry Potter literature is intricately woven with a rich magical system that includes spells, potions, magical creatures, and magical objects. The magic in this series is deeply integrated into the world and its various…

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    Falling in Love With Fantasy

    July 30, 2013

    The Flawed Hero: Shades of Morally Gray to Shades of Good

    May 30, 2023
    The Silver Spike by Glen Cook

    The Silver Spike – Fantasy Book Review

    August 3, 2013
  • Fantasy Worldbuilding

    Fantasy Worldbuilding: How To Create Magical Worlds Readers Love

    Teresa Coffey / May 18, 2023 / No Comments

    When creating fantasy fiction, one of the most fundamental elements is the fantasy world where readers will devote their time to get to know your characters. Worldbuilding in fantasy fiction creates fantastic worlds full of mythical creatures, enchanted objects, and otherworldly phenomena. Magic is a fundamental element in many works of fantasy fiction. The use of magical elements can serve…

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    Shadows Linger by Glen Cook

    Shadows Linger – Fantasy Book Review

    August 1, 2013
    Shadow Games by Glen Cook

    Shadow Games – Fantasy Book Review

    August 5, 2013
    Bleak Seasons by Glen Cook

    Bleak Seasons – Fantasy Book Review

    August 9, 2013
  • Genre Fiction verss Literay Fiction is like Literary Fight Club
    Fantasy Tropes

    Genre Fiction versus Literary Fiction – Literary Fight Club

    Teresa Coffey / April 27, 2018 / No Comments

    Literary Fiction Success Defined   I recently read a blog post where the author was explaining her take on the difference between genre fiction and literary fiction and her definition of success for each genre. She describes readers of literary fiction like this: “Lovers of literary fiction fall deeply in love with the idea of the work and the internal…

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    The Silver Spike by Glen Cook

    The Silver Spike – Fantasy Book Review

    August 3, 2013
    Gandalf Balrog high fantasy

    Defining High Fantasy

    September 8, 2013
    The Viscount's Son by Aderyn Wood

    The Viscount’s Son – Fantasy Book Review

    July 30, 2013
  • The Awakening - Before True Light
    Book Reviews

    Book Review: The Awakening – Before True Light

    Teresa Coffey / January 2, 2014 / No Comments

    Book Review for: The Awakening – Before True Light is a Young Adult Fantasy novel by Sarah Buchynski Amazon Synopsis: The fate of the world is uncertain…A secret society, historical protectors of mankind and thought to have been lost for centuries, re-emerges in dire times. A young girl named Izanami, living as an orphan among the inhabitants of this society,…

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    The Silver Spike by Glen Cook

    The Silver Spike – Fantasy Book Review

    August 3, 2013
    She Is The Darkness

    She Is The Darkness – Fantasy Book Review

    August 11, 2013
    Water Sleeps

    Water Sleeps – Fantasy Book Review

    August 13, 2013
  • Fantasy Tropes,  Women in Fantasy

    Kill The Girl! Women In Science Fiction And Fantasy

    Teresa Coffey / November 25, 2013 / 1 Comment

    Women In Fantasy and Science Fiction – Why are women treated so differently than men? Updated April 2018—Over the last couple of weeks, I read several articles about gender disparity in SF/F. It all started with the article “I Hate Strong Female Characters” by Sophia McDougall published in The Statesmen. Pretty soon, I had also come across articles like “Sleeps…

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    The Flawed Hero: Shades of Morally Gray to Shades of Good

    May 30, 2023
    Fantasy is more than just wizards

    Defining Fantasy ~ It’s More Than Just Wizards

    September 4, 2013
    The White Rose by Glen Cook

    The White Rose – Fantasy Book Review

    August 2, 2013
  • Writing Tips

    My Adventures With Google Plus Authorship

    Teresa Coffey / November 20, 2013 / No Comments

    Google Plus Authorship, better known as Google+ Authorship is the next “Big New Shiny Thing.” But I’m here to tell you it isn’t always easy and I honestly wondering how long I’m going to try to get it done before I give up. Here’s the deal. I have two blogs, www.TLCoffeyWrites.com and www.AlchemicalWords.com where I discuss the Fantasy genre and…

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    You May Also Like

    Unique Fantasy Combinations – Oh, The Possibilities

    August 26, 2013
    The Silver Spike by Glen Cook

    The Silver Spike – Fantasy Book Review

    August 3, 2013
    Bleak Seasons by Glen Cook

    Bleak Seasons – Fantasy Book Review

    August 9, 2013
  • Gandalf Balrog high fantasy
    Fantasy Tropes

    Defining High Fantasy

    Teresa Coffey / September 8, 2013 / No Comments

    In a previous post, I talked about the definition of Low Fantasy. Today, I’m tackling defining High Fantasy. High Fantasy takes place in a purely fictional world which has its own unique physical properties and laws of nature. The time period is flexible and the story can be in the present, the distant past or some time in the future.…

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    You May Also Like

    Shadows Linger by Glen Cook

    Shadows Linger – Fantasy Book Review

    August 1, 2013
    She Is The Darkness

    She Is The Darkness – Fantasy Book Review

    August 11, 2013
    Bleak Seasons by Glen Cook

    Bleak Seasons – Fantasy Book Review

    August 9, 2013
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  • Women in Fantasy
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Recent Posts

  • The Flawed Hero: Shades of Morally Gray to Shades of Good
  • The Antihero: An Unexpected Hero
  • Using Magic as a Metaphor: Exploring Symbolism and Allegory
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