Yesterday was May 1 and you know what that means —

OK, OK, I know it means May Day in the Northern Hemisphere, with morris dancing in the UK and similar festivities elsewhere, as well as May Day parades celebrating the labour movement. When I lived in Sweden, bonfires were always lit on the preceding evening, celebrating Valborgsmassafton (aka Valpurgis Night) with the big labour and related marches the next day. Definitely a time of festivity.

Somewhere, I hope many-wheres, daffodils are flowering.

But here, on my ‘umble blog (penned in the Southern Hemisphere, where we’re moving deeper into autumn rather than spring), the chief matter of note is that May 1 meant another post on the Supernatural Underground. 😀

Maybe not quite huzza and handspring time, but I am pleased to share that #4 in the Year of the Villain in Fantasy is now live. This month, as per the title,  I’m focusing on Alan Garner’s classic Elidor and the menace and terror of formless evil:

The Year of the Villain #4: “Elidor” and Formless Evil

In terms of the post series, I’m endeavouring to feature examples that illuminate a treatment of villainy and evil within fantasy literature that I believe is distinctive.

In terms of Elidor and Alan Garner’s formless evil, I’m hardpressed to think of another contender — so please do let me know in the comments if you can. 🙂

Although when it comes to fear of the unknown and the ability of elemental forces to engender terror, my mind always turns to Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. They are very different books — one is a slender volume and the other a weighty tome, for starters 😀 — but in that respect I do perceive an overlap.