Books by T. Kingfisher
“I loved this book! It’s a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, from the fairy godmother’s point of view. But that doesn’t do it justice at all. This isn’t a straight-up point-of-view switch, or a pointed review of the original morality. It’s a whole new fairy tale in its own right.” Read more...
“It’s completely original, but also completely captures the classic spirit of fairy tales. Marra is trying to rescue her sister, who has married into powerful royalty, and is being terribly abused. So there’s a quest, and there are three tasks, and a fairy godmother, and the goblin market; and all the magic has the haunting, under-explained quality of true fairy tales.” Read more...
“I really love Kingfisher’s work, and she writes very widely – whatever the heck she wants to write, which I admire a lot. But Swordheart is the story of a woman who is being pushed into a marriage with her clammy-handed cousin in order for her extended family to steal her inheritance. And she, in an effort to kill herself, makes the acquaintance of a warrior trapped inside a sword, named Starkis. It’s really a fantasy romance, and also a little bit of a road movie. They work toward reclaiming her inheritance, and meet lots of adorable characters along the way, like Brindle the Gnole, and Zale – he’s sort of a lawyer-warrior for the Church of the White Rat. But it’s also just very, very funny. T. Kingfisher writes in a modern voice, which I really appreciate in fantasy. I love being able to immediately relate to the characters; I find with a lot of epic fantasy, there’s all this added distance in language and in culture that makes it harder for me to connect immediately.” Read more...
Travis Baldree, Novelist
Interviews where books by T. Kingfisher were recommended
Humorous Fantasy Novels, recommended by Travis Baldree
What makes fantasy worlds so ripe for comedy? Hugo nominee Travis Baldree points toward our shared humanity, our love of anti-heros, and the power of back-to-front archetypes. He recommends the five best fantastical adventures to get us laughing – mostly at ourselves.
The Best Fantasy Novels of the Past Decade, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
The winners of the Hugo Awards and the Nebula Awards are chosen by fans each year. They cover both fantasy and sci fi, and the best novel spot for each is highly prestigious. Our fantasy and sci fi editor Sylvia Bishop takes a look at the fantasy winners of the last decade, offering rich pickings for fans of magical worlds that are beautiful, absorbing and strange.
The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2023: The Hugo Awards, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
The Hugo Awards, first presented in 1953, were originally known as the ‘Science Fiction Achievement Awards.’ But, in practice, their shortlists encompass speculative fiction as a whole, including fantasy—and is considered one of that genre’s most prestigious prizes. Here, Sylvia Bishop offers an overview of this year’s nominees in the ‘Best Novel’ category, which represent the most popular sci-fi and fantasy books of 2023.
Award-Winning Fantasy Novels of 2024, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
This year’s award-winning fantasy books offer something for every taste, from melancholic fairy tales to gripping horror. Our fantasy and sci fi editor Sylvia Bishop introduces the winning titles.