Let’s Talk about Brandon Sanderson (Revised)

So last year, soon after first discovering the works of fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, I wrote a blog post where I talked about Sanderson and what he does. At the time of writing that I had just starting this blog, and had only read a few books by Sanderson. The other day I finished Rhythm...

Allegory and Authorial Intent

Occasionally I'll be sitting and pondering English literature (to little end), when an end will suddenly come, an intrigue: the question of authorial intent. The thoughts will start to flow, and just like that, I'll be the host of an internal debate. The central question of the debate is the following: Should we attempt to...

Worldbuilding—Constructing a Map

As you'll know if you follow this blog, I'm a fan of the art of worldbuilding—that act of creating a fictional setting, be it for fantasy, science fiction, or anything in between. It serves as an outlet for creativity and as grounds for collaboration. Many of our favorite tales are set in grand worlds with...

Best Books I Read in 2021

Greetings! While this may be coming a little late, I did want to touch on some of my favorite books of 2021 before taking this site into the new year. This was a huge year for me in terms of reading, and while several of my reviews have made it onto this blog, I thought...

Triple Book Review + New Short Story

Greetings! It's that time again—I've finished a selection of books, and I'm sharing my reviews of them on the Goblin Opinions blog. You can find more reviews, as well as a list of favorite readings, on my goodreads account. This past month, I finished several books, all by the wonderful author Brandon Sanderson. I've spoken...

Worldbuilding—Nations and Cultures

Worldbuilding—the act of creating a fictional setting, usually for fantasy—is something that has always fascinated me. The possibilities are endless: your world can vary from our own, it can have its own weather patterns, geographical features, species, and nations. Worldbuilding is a creative art, and it presents no limit. However, there are certain aspects of...

Online Resources for Writers

In my time searching for advice concerning writing fiction, several online resources have fulfilled and exceeded my expectations. I'll list several of those here, along with others recommended and spoken of throughout the writing community. Brandon Sanderson's Lectures: Sanderson's YouTube lecture series has proved invaluable in my quest for writing advice. He posts them completely...

You need to read if you want to write

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”—Stephen King Too often, a fledgling writer will acquire the mindset of "no use reading, that's just wasting time when I should be writing! " Or it will go something like that. While the logic is...

Aragorn: A Study in Character

In my time as a general fan of fantasy literature, I have come to appreciate the character development and lessons of personal experience that can be portrayed within. When searching for examples of character work done well, especially in the foundational days of the genre, it is easy to point to The Lord of the...

Allegory in Fantasy: A Discussion

Chances are, you are familiar with the idea of a parable: a simple tale used to demonstrate a spiritual or moral lesson not expressly mentioned in the story. This is prominent in religion, especially in Christianity and Islam. Allegory has a similar definition, but usually applies to the greater scope of poetry and fiction. In...