Mars Moonwater: Diverse fantasy reviews and infuriating fantasy

[Avara]

hey guys,

A few weeks ago I started up a blog under the pseudonym Mars Moonwater. I'm currently running 2 weekly columns: Diverse Fantasy Reviews (DiFR) where I review fantasy books that have diverse characters or authors (LGBTQIA, POC, disabled, etc.). AND Infuriating Fantasy where I post rantings and ravings about anything to do with the fantasy genre.

DiFR goes up every Wednesday at 6PM pacific time and in my last article I reviewed Pantomime by Laura Lam, which I personally found to be rather problematic in it's depiction of diversity. For more details you can check out the article here: https://marsmoonwater.wordpress.com/2015/07/15/difr-5-pantomime-by-laura-lam/
Next week I will be reviewing the sequel Shadowplay

Infuriating Fantasy goes up every Saturday at 10AM pacific time, though I've been considering moving it to Friday at 6PM. Last weeks article talked about why I feel diversity is so important when it comes to fantasy. You can find the article here: https://marsmoonwater.wordpress.com...ow-everyone-can-be-a-dragon-riding-superhero/
Next week I will either talk about the Fantasy Novelist Exam or the Women in Fridge trope depending on whether or not my co-author for the latter one is available to work on it over the week.

Within a few weeks I hope to have a bi-monthly superhero series running that I call Coalition for Terran Defense. It will be the adventures of my own superhero team told in the form of short stories and maybe the occasional comic if I ever learn how to draw or have the money to hire an artist.

I look forward to seeing what you all think and greatly welcome any feedback you guys may have to help me improve what I do, especially since I hope to eventually make my living off of this.

Here's the link to my overall blog: https://marsmoonwater.wordpress.com/

Thanks guys

 

[ALB2012]

I like your review of Pantomime. You have chosen aspects which are often not reviewed - such as how non humans, non straight characters are portrayed, and such like. Diversity in fantasy is becoming more popular and it's interesting to see how readers view that.

From my own perspective my world has elves - but although they are dextrous and long lived, they are a second class race - subject to slavery by the humans. Magic is illegal and punishable by death or imprisonment so those with it seek to hide it. I have interracial marriage/relationships - humans and elves, elves and trolls, trolls and humans or elves and in some cases with immortals/magical beings such as elementals - although that is very uncommon.
So far I have no gay characters in the novels - although in one of the short stories Coel is bisexual but it is mentioned in passing, not as a main feature. I'm planning a major character later who has a male elf lover to whom he is very attached.

I've read some stunning fantasy where the characters are gay - The Sacred Band, the Witch Sea, Beyond Sanctuary, Dragon Age the Calling (I think it was that one). I say the more diverse the characters are the better - people are diverse and so one dimensional, stereotypical characters aren't real.

I'm following your blog - I look forward to seeing future posts.

 

[Avara]

I like your review of Pantomime. You have chosen aspects which are often not reviewed - such as how non humans, non straight characters are portrayed, and such like. Diversity in fantasy is becoming more popular and it's interesting to see how readers view that.

From my own perspective my world has elves - but although they are dextrous and long lived, they are a second class race - subject to slavery by the humans. Magic is illegal and punishable by death or imprisonment so those with it seek to hide it. I have interracial marriage/relationships - humans and elves, elves and trolls, trolls and humans or elves and in some cases with immortals/magical beings such as elementals - although that is very uncommon.
So far I have no gay characters in the novels - although in one of the short stories Coel is bisexual but it is mentioned in passing, not as a main feature. I'm planning a major character later who has a male elf lover to whom he is very attached.

I've read some stunning fantasy where the characters are gay - The Sacred Band, the Witch Sea, Beyond Sanctuary, Dragon Age the Calling (I think it was that one). I say the more diverse the characters are the better - people are diverse and so one dimensional, stereotypical characters aren't real.

I'm following your blog - I look forward to seeing future posts.

Thank you so much. Those are some really interesting ideas. And thanks for the recommendations, I'll be sure to add those to my list of books to review