Fantasy for the Ages

The 2000s were the era of EPIC storytelling in science fiction and fantasy. ⚔️🚀 From massive fantasy trilogies and superhero breakthroughs to animated classics and unforgettable sci-fi adventures, this decade didn’t just raise the bar—it redefined what blockbuster storytelling could be. In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, we continue our five-part series exploring the best SFF films by decad...

The 1990s were a game-changer for science fiction and fantasy movies. 🚀 This was the decade where CGI exploded, blockbuster sci-fi took over theaters, and some of the most iconic SFF films of all time hit the big screen. In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim and Zach continue their five-part series exploring the best science fiction and fantasy films by decade—and this time, we’re diving i...

The 1980s might be the greatest decade ever for science fiction and fantasy movies. 🚀 From time travel adventures and alien encounters to cyberpunk dystopias and unforgettable action classics, the 80s delivered some of the most influential SFF films ever made. In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim and Zach continue their five-part series exploring the best science fiction and fantasy films...

The 1970s were the decade that changed science fiction and fantasy movies forever. 🚀 In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim and Zach kick off a brand-new five-part series exploring the best SFF films of the past five decades, starting with the decade that gave us space operas, dystopian classics, alien nightmares, and the birth of the modern blockbuster. Today, Jim reveals his personal Top...

Stephen Graham Jones has tackled zombies, ghosts, slashers, and all kinds of horror staples over the years. So what happens when one of the most inventive voices in modern horror decides to take on vampires? Today I’m reviewing The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, the newest novel from Stephen Graham Jones — a haunting, layered horror story set against the violent expansion of the American West. Blending hi...

What are the most underrated sci-fi and fantasy movies ever made? 🤔 In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim takes a journey through five decades of speculative fiction cinema to uncover the forgotten SFF movie gems that deserved far more attention than they received. From the experimental sci-fi of the 1970s, to overlooked cult classics of the 1980s, to hidden masterpieces from the 1990s, 20...

The Toxic Avenger is back… but is the remake actually good? The 2023 remake of The Toxic Avenger finally made its way into theaters in 2025 and onto streaming, bringing the cult classic splatter-comedy back to life for a new generation. Starring Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, and Jacob Tremblay, this outrageous reboot leans hard into gore, satire, and B-movie madness. But does it actual...

What happens when you stumble onto a sci-fi horror thriller you knew nothing about… and it turns out to be fantastic? In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim reviews the 2025 sci-fi horror thriller Companion, directed by Drew Hancock and starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid. What started as a random movie discovery during a night stuck in a hotel room with bad Wi-Fi turned into a genuinely...

Is Swords of the Six the start of a great new epic fantasy series? In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim dives into Scott Appleton’s Swords of the Six — the opening novel in The Sword of the Dragon series. With dragons, battles, betrayal, sacrifice, and a powerful emotional core, this story delivers the kind of sweeping fantasy adventure many readers love. But what really makes this book st...

Science fiction, fantasy, and horror rarely get invited to the Academy Awards’ biggest table. The Oscars traditionally favor historical drama, biopics, and prestige filmmaking — not spaceships, monsters, magic, or multiverses. But every once in a while, speculative fiction breaks through. In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim ranks every science fiction, fantasy, and horror film ever nomina...

Today on Fantasy for the Ages, Jim and Zach dive into the results of several recent community polls from the channel! 🗳️ Before revealing how viewers voted, Jim presents the question and answer choices while Zach attempts to predict how the Fantasy for the Ages community responded. Sometimes he gets it right… sometimes he’s way off! Then we reveal the results and share our own thoughts on the topi...

Are some of the greatest science fiction books ever written… “unpublishable” today? In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, we explore classic sci-fi masterpieces that might struggle to get published in today’s market—not because they’re bad, but because publishing trends have changed. Classic science fiction often focused on big ideas: philosophy, sociology, religion, artificial intelligence, th...

What happens when a college mistake unleashes a dragon… and the consequences last for decades? In today’s episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim reviews one of the most talked-about horror novels of 2025 — King Sorrow by Joe Hill. This massive supernatural thriller blends occult horror, folklore, and modern mythology into a sweeping story that stretches across decades. Featuring unforgettable charac...

Do different generations look for different things in their fantasy and science fiction stories? Today on Fantasy for the Ages, Jim and Zach explore that question by sharing SFF books and series they love… but suspect the other probably wouldn’t enjoy. With nearly 30 years between their reading experiences, Jim and Zach grew up in different storytelling eras. That means different pacing expectatio...

Could Kings of the Wyld really be as good as people say? In this Fantasy for the Ages review, Jim finally dives into Nicholas Eames’ wildly popular 2017 fantasy novel — a story about a legendary band of mercenaries getting back together for one last adventure. With monsters roaming the land, ancient dangers lurking beyond the frontier, and a desperate mission to rescue a friend’s daughter from a b...

Some trilogies hook us immediately with an amazing first book, expand the world and raise the stakes in book two… and then everything depends on the finale. Stick the landing and readers close the book with that perfect “ahhh, yes!” feeling. Miss the landing and suddenly the entire trilogy feels a little shaky. In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim takes a look at speculative fiction trilog...

When you finish Book 1 of a brand-new fantasy series, there’s always that moment of hesitation… You loved the characters. You enjoyed the world. The story hooked you. But then comes Book 2 — and that’s where a series either levels up… or lets you down. In today’s episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim reviews The Way of Stones by Ryan Lanz, the second installment in the Red Kingdom series, following...

Would today’s biggest fantasy hits have survived the 1980s? In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, we flip the script. Last time we talked about classic fantasy that might not get published today. Now we’re asking the reverse question: Which modern fantasy novels would’ve bombed in the 80s market? This isn’t about quality. Every book discussed here is outstanding. This is about publishing climat...

Are some of the greatest fantasy books ever written… “unpublishable” today? In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, I explore 20 classic fantasy novels and series that might struggle to get traditionally published in today’s market — despite being absolutely brilliant. We’re talking about sprawling epics. Earnest heroism. Clear moral frameworks. Slow-burn mythic storytelling. Yes… even farm boys...

Some sci-fi and fantasy films explode into franchises… and others quietly become cult classics. In today’s episode of Fantasy for the Ages, I’m diving into my personal Top 10 Underrated SFF Movies Since 2000 — the films that were misunderstood, under-marketed, overshadowed, or simply never given the lasting cultural appreciation they deserve. We’re talking bold sci-fi, divisive twists, box office...

🚀 Is the Bobiverse magic back? In this spoiler-lite review, I dive into Not Till We Are Lost, Book 5 of the Bobiverse series by Dennis E. Taylor — and ask the big question: does this installment recapture the multi-threaded, galaxy-spanning fun of the original trilogy? After the more focused narrative of Heaven’s River, this latest entry feels like a return to classic Bobiverse form: multiple Bob...

How does an author earn double-digit commitment from a reader? In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim reveals the only 23 SFF authors he has read more than 10 novels from — ranked from the ones who just sneak in at 11 books… all the way to the author he’s read a staggering 61 novels by. No novellas. No short stories. Just full-length novels. From epic fantasy cornerstones to zombie apocalyps...

What happens when three sci-fi-loving BookTubers sit down for a no-holds-barred, full-spoiler deep dive into one of the most ambitious indie breakouts of recent years? In this special Fantasy for the Ages roundtable, Jim is joined by Matt from Geaux Read Books and Derek from D&J’s Epic Quest for a full spoiler discussion of Mushroom Blues: The Hofmann Report, Book 1 by Adrian M. Gibson. If you...

Looking for great fantasy & historical fiction for Middle Grades and YA readers that won’t constantly clash with Christian beliefs and values? After several recent episodes focused on adult readers, many of you asked for something specifically for kids and teens — books that are imaginative, adventurous, beautifully written… and either explicitly Christian or comfortably aligned with a Christi...

What if I told you the zombie apocalypse could be… beautiful? In this Jim solo episode of Fantasy for the Ages, I review The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell — a short, haunting, Southern Gothic take on post-apocalyptic horror that absolutely stunned me. At just 225 pages, this novel delivers more depth, character development, and thematic weight than many books three times its size. Going int...