Books by Ursula Vernon
Ursula Vernon has written over a dozen adult novels and fifteen children’s books, under her own name and as T. Kingfisher. Her novel Nettle and Bone won the 2023 Hugo Award for Best Novel; in the past she has also won Best Novelette, Best Short Story and Best Graphic Novel or Comic, as well as the Nebula for Best Short Story. Her new novel Thornhedge retells Sleeping Beauty, with a twist.
“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...
“Nettle and Bone follows Marra, the third and least important princess of a small kingdom, who is sent to a convent following her sister’s marriage to a powerful prince—he doesn’t want her producing any rivals to the throne. The tone is set: this man is trouble. When Marra understands just how much trouble, and how dire her sister’s situation is, she sets out to enforce justice. The journey is packed full of familiar motifs. She must accomplish three impossible tasks, visit a goblin market, encounter a necromancer-witch and a fairy godmother, and descend into labyrinthine tombs. Between these set-pieces and archetypal characters, we find a dazzling array of detail: a demon that is also, emphatically, a chicken; a woman voluntarily controlled by a horrifying wooden child; a crushing wheel of dead souls…This is fairytale fantasy. The magic is chilling and under-explained, considered supernatural even within the uncanny world of the book.” Read more...
The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2023: The Hugo Awards
Interviews with Ursula Vernon
Fantasy Books Based on Fairy Tales, recommended by Ursula Vernon
Fairy tale retellings are nothing new: the same stories have been told in various forms across centuries and cultures. Modern fantasy is making new use of these timeless tales, specialising in unlikely heroes and playful subversions. We asked Ursula Vernon, the Hugo Award-winning author, to recommend her top five fantasy books based on fairy tales.
Interviews where books by Ursula Vernon were recommended
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.
