Fantasy for the Ages

What if vampirism wasn’t supernatural… but biological? In today’s review, I dive into The Strain (2009), the first novel in Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s acclaimed vampire horror trilogy. Long before I knew this was a book series, I enjoyed watching FX’s four-season adaptation. Once I discovered there were novels behind the show, this one shot straight onto my TBR. Featuring a terrifying bl...

What makes a truly great father? In fantasy and science fiction, we’re surrounded by heroes, villains, kings, captains, warriors, wizards, and chosen ones. But some of the most inspiring characters in all of speculative fiction aren’t remembered for saving worlds—they’re remembered for raising the next generation. In this episode, Jim and Zach each reveal their Top 10 Fathers in Fantasy and Scienc...

Did Richard Chizmar stick the landing? After the phenomenal success of Chasing the Boogeyman and Becoming the Boogeyman, expectations were sky-high for the final installment of the Boogeyman Trilogy. In this spoiler-lite review, Jim dives into an Advance Reader Copy of Killing the Boogeyman — releasing October 6, 2026 — to find out whether this highly anticipated conclusion delivers the payoff rea...

What if everything you’ve ever been told about vampires was wrong? In this spoiler-lite review of Necroscope III: The Source by Brian Lumley, I continue my journey through one of horror’s most beloved cult-classic series. After two increasingly impressive novels, Lumley takes things to another level by dramatically expanding the mythology behind his terrifying vampires—and trust me, the explanatio...

Some science fiction and fantasy books have incredible titles. Others have titles that leave you wondering if the author lost a dare, a bet, or perhaps a small amount of their sanity. In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, I’m handing out twenty completely unofficial, thoroughly unimportant, and highly prestigious awards to some of the strangest, funniest, most baffling book titles in SFF histor...

How is nobody talking about this series?!Warlock’s Sun Rising by Damien Black continues one of the most impressive epic fantasy stories I’ve discovered in recent years. After being thoroughly captivated by Devil’s Night Dawning, I had high expectations going into Book 2 — and somehow this sequel exceeded them. Bigger stakes, deeper character work, fascinating villains, powerful faith elements, sho...

WARNING: FULL SPOILERS AHEAD! Martha Wells has done it again. Or has she? Zach and Jim aren’t not entirely on the same page here. In this episode, Zach and I dive deep into a FULL SPOIL discussion of Platform Decay, the newest entry in The Murderbot Diaries. From Murderbot’s continuing evolution as a character to the ever-entertaining dynamic with ART, from the action sequences to the emotional mo...

Today I’m reviewing Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar, the second installment in his unique horror-thriller series that blends true crime, psychological suspense, and unsettling horror into something that feels disturbingly real. After thoroughly enjoying Chasing the Boogeyman, I was hopeful this sequel could maintain the same atmosphere and tension. Not only does it succeed, but it expand...

Urban fantasy has given us wizard detectives, monster hunters, vampire slayers, magical police officers, ancient druids, and some of the most beloved characters in all of fantasy literature. But which series rise above the rest? In this episode, Jim counts down the Top 10 Urban Fantasy Series of All Time, balancing popularity, influence, storytelling quality, and lasting impact on the genre. From...

Fantasy awards have given us some incredible winners over the years. But what about the books that didn’t win? In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, we’re counting down the 30 greatest fantasy novels ever nominated for major fantasy awards that never actually took home the trophy. These are the bridesmaids of fantasy literature—the books that earned Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, or British Fanta...

What if the most convincing true crime book you’ve ever read… wasn’t true at all? In this spoiler-lite review, I dive into Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar, a brilliantly crafted blend of true crime, mystery, suspense, and horror that feels so authentic you’ll constantly have to remind yourself it’s fiction. Set in a small Maryland town during the late 1980s, this novel captures the atmosp...

Today we're diving into Dragon Offspring, Book 2 in Scott Appleton's The Sword of the Dragon series. This epic fantasy adventure takes everything that worked in Book 1 and expands it in exciting ways. Originally published in 2020 and recently released in audiobook format, Dragon Offspring continues the story begun in Swords of the Six, introducing larger mysteries, deeper character develop...

Some videos are designed to make friends. This is not one of those videos. Today, Jim shares his 12 most controversial Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror opinions of 2026 — from defending Harry Dresden and Terry Brooks to questioning modern fantasy adaptations, getting all soapbox on Stephen King, then explaining why worldbuilding may have become the most overrated concept in fantasy fandom. Wil...

Did we REALLY need a Scream 7? That’s the question I found myself asking when yet another Ghostface movie arrived. After all, this franchise has been stabbing its way through horror history for nearly three decades. But when Scream 7 hit Paramount+, there was no way I wasn’t going to watch it. In this spoiler-lite review, I dive into what worked, what didn’t, whether Neve Campbell’s return as Sidn...

We’ve all been there. You pick up a fantasy, sci-fi, or horror novel because the cover looks incredible… and then discover the story inside has almost nothing to do with what the artwork promised. Today we’re counting down 50 of the most misleading SFFH book covers ever published — from fantasy heroes who look twice the correct age, to science fiction novels advertising giant space battles that ne...

What happens when Brian Lumley stops hinting at his vampires… and finally gives us the FULL nightmare fuel experience? In today’s episode, Jim dives into Necroscope II: Vamphyri! — the second book in the Necroscope series by Brian Lumley — and friends, this thing goes HARD into vampire lore, Cold War psychic espionage, body horror, and the continuing story of Harry Keogh. After recently enjoying t...

What makes a fantasy novel truly great? Is it sales? Awards? Goodreads ratings? Cultural impact? Influence on the genre? Today, Jim and Zach tackle one of the biggest — and most dangerous — topics in fantasy fandom as they each reveal their personal Top 10 Greatest Fantasy Novels of the Past 30 Years! From epic fantasy giants from series like A Song of Ice and Fire, The First Law, and The Stormlig...

What happens when a series reaches Book 8? Usually… fatigue sets in. Repetition creeps in. The magic starts fading. Apparently nobody told Matt Dinniman. Today, Jim dives into a spoiler-lite review of A Parade of Horribles — the newest entry in the wildly chaotic, hilarious, emotionally devastating, and somehow STILL incredibly fresh Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Can Dinniman really keep escalating...

What books do you recommend when someone says: “I want to get into fantasy and sci-fi… but I don’t know where to start?” Today, Jim is joined once again by the one and only Roofmistress Leigh-a for a lively, funny, and passionate discussion about FIVE speculative fiction recommendations she believes NEVER miss. These are the books and series she confidently hands to friends, family, and curious ne...

What happens when a fandom addicted to The Dresden Files finally gets another hit of content? Jim Butcher drops Out Law — the brand-new Dresden Files novella (Book 18.5) — and Dresden fans everywhere immediately descend like magical raccoons looking for scraps. But is this novella just a fun distraction while we wait for the next BIG novel… or is it secretly much more important than it first appea...

If you love classic-feeling epic fantasy filled with ancient evil, dangerous magic, deep worldbuilding, quests, mentors, prophecy, and genuinely thoughtful themes of faith and purpose… then Damien Black’s Devil’s Night Dawning may be exactly the hidden gem you’ve been looking for. In this spoiler-lite review, Jim dives into this self-published fantasy novel that impressed readers during Mark Lawre...

Australia may not produce as many science fiction and fantasy authors as the U.S. or the UK… …but the ones they do produce? They tend to be unforgettable. In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, I’m ranking the Top 10 Australian SFF Authors of All Time, from epic fantasy legends to hard sci-fi masterminds to dark, emotionally intense storytellers who helped shape modern speculative fiction. Some...

Humanity’s enemies are everywhere in John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War universe… and in The Last Colony, things get even messier. Alien species are maneuvering against humanity, political tensions are boiling over, and somehow humanity itself may still be its own worst enemy. In this spoiler-lite review, Jim dives into the third full novel in the Old Man’s War series by John Scalzi and discusses why The...

What happens when you combine Cold War espionage, psychic warfare, vampires, supernatural horror, and one of the WEIRDEST protagonists in horror fiction? You get Necroscope by Brian Lumley — and honestly, Jim cannot believe it took him this long to finally read it. In this spoiler-lite book review, Jim dives into the first book in the legendary Necroscope series, exploring why this cult horror cla...

Murderbot is back… and somehow still the most relatable socially awkward being in science fiction. 🤖📺💥 Today on Fantasy for the Ages, Jim is diving into Platform Decay by Martha Wells — book 8 in The Murderbot Diaries series. We’ll talk about Murderbot’s continued emotional growth (whether it likes it or not), the relentless pacing, fascinating worldbuilding, corporate chaos, and why the intera...