Heroines in Fantasy, chiefly fantasy books, is my Supernatural Underground theme for 2026, and this month I’m checking in on three heroines who must endure amid considerable adversity.

The first is Amat Kyaan from Daniel Abraham’s The Long Price quartet. The second is Rachael Boucher from T Frohock’s Miserere. The third in my July trio is Nhairin, who appears in Books #1 and #3 of The Wall of Night series.

To find out what they have in common, how they differ, and why I believe they rate a mention, click on:

A Year of Heroines in Fantasy: Amat Kyaan, Rachael Boucher, and Nhairin

I hope you may enjoy. 🙂

A whole lotta great posts, that’s what (to be read in the same cadence as “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin. 😉 )

Starting with two further instalments in Kim Falconer’s Fiction Prediction series:

Ballard’s Electronic Wallpaper — a post centered on the novel High-Rise (1975) and Ballard’s prediction of influencer culture.

Silver Metal Peptides — in which Kim features Tanith Lee’s Silver Metal Lover (1981), which explores the use of drugs for physical enhancement and the ethics of treating sentient creations as property (a theme also explored by Martha Wells’ Murderbot series.)

You can also check out:

Words Is Your Bizness: Writing the Blurb — penned by T Frohock of Los Nefilim fame, with some great “how-to” tips for writing a compelling blurb for your book (or other creative venture.)

The Art of the Yes from Amanda Arista — a post on the power of saying ‘yes’, in all sorts and conditions of situations.

Sex As A Life Force by Cindy Pon — in which Cindy explores the place of sex in coming-of-age stories. And in turn leads us to:

Nice Guys vs Bad Boys — aka are you Team Angel or Team Spike, cheering for Han Solo or Luke Skywalker… 😀

Han Solo the quintessential “lovable rogue”

Enjoy!

Subtitle: With Quite A Bit of Help From Elmore Leonard (1925 – 2013.) 😀

A Well-Known Elmore Leonard tale

Those of you who know (which I imagine is quite a few), will know that the title quote, “If it sounds like writing”, is half of a very famous observation by Mr Leonard, to the effect that:

“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.”

The trick, of course, is working out when it sounds like writing, because sometimes we need distance to do that. One way to gain that distance is by laying the manuscript aside for a time, whether hours, days, or even months (or years — like Tolkien leaving The Lord of the Rings at Balin’s Tomb until after World War 2 ended), before revisiting it.

A ca. 5-year hiatus

In my experience, though, the most surefire way to detect whether my writing is on point, is to read the material aloud. Reading aloud quickly highlights any infelicities around narrative flow, unrealistic dialogue, and unnecessary exposition. So if in any doubt at all, I always read any tricky passages aloud. And if time and the fates allow, will try and read the entire book through to get the final draft.

Reading aloud *was* part of that worldbuilding …

Yep, that’s from go-to-whoa, which was not so daunting a feat with Thornspell, but an altogether different proposition for Daughter of Blood. #JustSaying 😉

…and played a big part in Daughter, too.

And of course, something always gets missed—but having done my best, angsting about that would make me a perfectionist, or even a control freak, and I wouldn’t want to go there.

Speaking of perfection, if you haven’t read The Idea of Perfection by Kate Greville, do consider checking it out. It’s contemporary realism set in small-town Australia. I loved it.

The reason I feature minor players from The Wall of Night series is because it’s usually their major counterparts that hog the spotlight and garner discussion. Understandably enough, of course. 😉 Nonetheless I’m on record with my view that:

…it’s the presence of the smaller characters that (also) “makes” a story, creating texture around the main points of view.”

I said this in an interview when The Gathering of the Lost was shortlisted for the Gemmell Legend Award — which is a long book-and-author ago now, but I’m still of the same opine.

You may also have noticed that there are a lot of “minor” players in The Wall of Night 😉 — ranging from walk-on parts to supporting characters who may be reasonably important at a particular juncture, but don’t recur and reappear throughout the story like the major protagonists.

By my (otherwise somewhat fluid) definition, too, a character that appears in this series will not be a “point-of-view” character. (Although there are some major players where the reader never gets their inner point-of-view either — Raven, for example.)

I commenced this series with the minor players from The Heir of Night, but have continued on with those from The Gathering of the Lost and Daughter of Blood. I’m sure you know the drill by now, but yes, they appear in alphabetical order by name. 😀
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Rhike: a Darksworn agent, operating in the realm of Emer

Malian recognized the figure that stepped out onto the terrace to search the night with a seeker’s mindsweep… She remembered the long trailing robes and the head that was completely shaven except for the hank of plaited hair that curved down the right side of the androgynous face. Yet she was as sure, now, that the seeker was a woman as she had been in the white mists on Summer’s Eve.

~ from © The Gathering of the Lost, The Wall Of Night Book Two – Chapter 37, Adept
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…the strangers’ conversation was a confusion of strange accents and incomprehensible discussion—of enemies and magic, and a warrior immune to it who had sabotaged something called a coterie in some distant place. Occasionally, names would swirl to the surface, like debris in a flood, including Emuun and Rhike again…

~ from © Daughter of Blood, The Wall Of Night Book Three – Chapter 2, The Serpent Prince

A few posts back, Chris (a new reader) requested recommendations for other Fantasies of like kind to The Wall of Night. They also indicated an interest in more recent publications — and since the “old favourites” and “formative reads” are always easier, I thought I’d better put m’thinking cap on.

The Wall of Night series

The “of like kind” is the important part, because of course there are “all sorts and conditions” of fantasy books in the ‘verse. Having duly reflected, I’ve come up with a starter list of 5 — but feel free to add more if you believe I’ve missed an obvious contender. 😀

Fantasy Books That Are “Like” The Wall Of Night Series

The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson.

The Stormlight Archive and WALL series are alike in being multi-book epic Fantasy tales, set in a secondary world where magic is a vital part of the action. Another important similarity (imho) is that both are heroic Fantasy. This is not to say that the characters are all paladins, and in fact most are flawed — but they aspire to be and do better, and most of the heroes do the right thing, most of the time, when the chips are really down. Both are also big stories, comprising large casts of characters, and many machinations within a variety of societies.

You can find out more about The Stormlight Archive here, and Brandon Sanderson here.

The Daevabad Trilogy by SA Chakraborty

The Daevabad Trilogy is set in a 19th century “this-world” that overlaps the realm of the Djinn, centered on the magical city of Daevabad. The similarities with the WALL series lie in the deep-seated conflicts between the six Djinn clans, including the oppression of half (-human) djinn, and the degree to which Daevabad history is woven into the contemporary story. And like WALL, the Daevabad story is deeply informed by folklore and legend. Middle Eastern lore, in this case, but I believe that readers who enjoy that aspect of WALL will like Daevabad for the same reason.

You can read more about The Daevabad Trilogy here, and SA Chakraborty here.

The Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts

This eleven-book epic fantasy series spans a mighty 40 years, from 1993 to 2024, so I’m including it here. Like WALL, this series comprises a war between once-close enemies (in this case brothers) fought over centuries, and also explores how the perceived lines between good and evil become blurred. The similarities with the WALL series also lie in the indepth worldbuilding, and the layers and complexity within a plot that evolves over the successive books.

To check out The Wars of Light and Shadow, go here, and there’s more on Janny Wurts here.

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks

The Black Prism is the first book in the Lightbringer series, but you’ll recall that I pressed pause on reading more epic fantasy until I finished writing WALL #4 (The Chaos Gate). So I haven’t got to the rest of the series yet — but I feel  The Black Prism and WALL series are in the same quadrant of the Fantasy universe when it comes to knife-edge politics and the rush of action and adventure, including sieges and battles. Both involve characters with significant secrets as well, and societies that believe they’re champions of good, whereas reality suggests otherwise…

You can read more about The Black Prism here, and Brent Weeks here.

The Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Muir

“But-but-but,” I may hear you splutter, “isn’t this series science fiction?” Technically, I believe, it’s billed as Science Fantasy, but although the future-space setting is SF-nal, otherwise I consider the story pure Fantasy. And since WALL is pure Fantasy with some SF-nal elements in the backstory, I rest my case. Besides which there are nine Houses, and champions, and magic, some of it with dream-realm overtones, not to mention duels and honour, loyalty and duty, mysteries to be resolved and Byzantine machinations overcome. So if you love these elements in WALL and haven’t checked out The Locked Tomb series yet, I suspect it will repay your time.

To learn more about the series, go here; Tamsyn Muir is here.

There are times, dear readers, when wrangling the writing life takes way more energy that one feels it rightly should.

When it ‘could’ be like this…

For example, when one’s internet “service” (ha-ha) provider decides to improve one’s customer experience — and without forewarning or explanation one’s website vanishes for the best part of three days, and one’s blog for over four.

Or this…

So if you were wondering why no Monday post, there is the explanation right there. Needless to say, it’s at times like these that the writing life feels as much mangle as wrangle. I can say, too, hand on heart, that wrangling words is infinitely easier and more satisfying than attempting the same with one’s ISP.

And definitely this…

However, I reminded myself of Ursula Le Guin’s observation that we live in a time “when we fuss if our computer can’t bring us everything we want instantly.” So strove, accordingly, not to give in to my animus but focus on the problem solving part. 

I like the beach part of the quote below…

In another telling observation on modern life, she noted that:

“…we talk on a cell phone to people in [somewhere far away] while jogging on the beach without seeing the beach, and gather on social media into huge separation-denying disembodied groups while ignoring the people around us.”

True dat, innit?

… & the being *with* peeps (& books!) part 🙂

As for my ISP, you’re undoubtedly right — I do need a better one! I fear, though, that this may be a mythical beast in the world we’ve created for ourselves.  [Cue wry emoji.]

Here, definitely, be dragons!

So-o, those who dropped by last week, or who check in on the Supernatural Underground, will know that my current Heroines post on the SU features Shallan (Stormlight Archive), Aidris (A Princess of the Chameln), and Jehane Mor from m’own Wall series.

So I was gratified, when tweeting the post, to have Nicolas (Fitzgerald) respond that, “Jehane Mor is such a great character.” (Thank you, Nick!)

Since then, I have reflected that he is not the first to have said so. A very early reader of The Heir of Night declared that he “loved Jehane Mor”, and a not-insignificant number of readers over the years have vowed and averred that she and Tarathan (because heralds, as I allude to in the SU post, come as a pair) are their favourite characters.

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Quite a few of you missed them in Daughter of Blood, too — so I’m pleased to advise that they are not only back in The Chaos Gate, but play a significant part in the story.

For now though, I’ll leave you with a couple of Jehane Mor quotes, “About the Characters” style:

Jehane Mor: a herald of the Guild, from the River city of Terebanth, on the River

“Jehane Mor nodded.  “You seek the child who fell into darkness.”

“What do you mean, fell into darkness?” Nhairin asked sharply.  “What do you know?”

“We know many things,” the herald said. “What is it that you wish to learn, Steward Nhairin?”

~ from © The Heir Of Night: The Wall of Night Book One, Chapter 8 — A Finder of the Lost

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“The herald nodded. “I’m Jehane Mor,” she murmured, “of the Guild House in Terebanth.” She studied the strangers, her expression thoughtful, and they stared sullenly back. She counted fourteen in their band, all well armed and with two or more horses for each rider, and understood why they would have blocked the bridge once stopped—and why the Patrol had not moved away as soon as the bridge was cleared. “They are Derai, I believe,” she said to the clerk, “from the Wall of Night, far to the north. Many of them do not speak our River tongue, but as it happens, I speak theirs.”

“Do you?” he exclaimed. “That is wonderful! At least, that is, if your honor is willing to speak with them?”

“Gladly,” the herald replied, smiling. “Greetings,” she continued in Derai, addressing the warriors in front of her. “Honor to you and to your House.”

~  from © The Gathering Of The Lost, The Wall of Night Book Two: Chapter 1 — The Road to Ij

K-drama mania 😀

Last week, I posted on my newfound enthusiasm for K-Dramas, which sparked some discussion with fellow writers, along the lines of whether what we like watching reflects the kind of stories we like to tell ourselves.

All of which caused me to reflect on potential overlaps between some of the K-dramas I’ve been watching and, for example, the Wall of Night series — and decide that there might be something in this thesis. Bearing in mind, of course, that there seem to be myriad ‘sorts and conditions’ of K-dramas, so there’s almost bound to be a nexus somewhere.

That being said, I write historically-informed epic Fantasy — and so far all the historical K-dramas I’ve watched have been very epic, with beleaguered rulers and duplicitous councilors, faithful friends and sworn enemies, intrigue and skirmishes, if not outright war, honour  and duty, and — of course — star-crossed love.

Master Tal-Tal in Empress Ki: concerned with honour, duty, & difficult choices

I don’t know about you, but I do see some overlaps with the sort of story I’m telling in The Wall of Night series. Plus these historical epics do tend to have large casts of characters, many with indepth backstories, which is definitely heartland Wall territory — as is a concern with integrity in friendships and the importance of good leadership.

Even when romance is front & centre, honor, duty, & integrity play their part

To date, romantic love, star-crossed or otherwise, has not been so central to the Wall story, although the jury must remain ‘out’ on its overall place until The Chaos Gate is published. And love and romance were certainly part of the mix in Thornspell.

Last but never least, I also write poetry — and in several of the K-dramas I’ve watched so far, the characters both read and quote poems to each other. So I guess there are quite a few similarities between the K-dramas I’m enjoying watching and what I like writing myself, from epic sagas to poetry. 😀

Rookie Historian — the power of the pen plays a starring role.

Yep, it’s a new month and that means a new Heroines post on the Supernatural Underground — heroines being my theme for 2026. 😉

This month, my spotlight’s on another trio-of-awesome (of course awesome!), namely Shallan from Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive, Aidris of A Princess of the Chameln fame, and Jehane Mor from (m’own! 🙂 ) The Wall of Night.

To find out why I’m discussing them together, and the similarities and differences between the three, go to:

A Year of Heroines in Fantasy #4: Shallan, Jehane Mor, and Aidris of the Chameln

And as always, enjoy. 😀

I am something of a later adapter (or is that adopter? But both work, I think!), which may be why I have only recently discovered K-Dramas — that’s South Korean-made, small-screen series, for those who are even later to the party than me. 😀

And being in the lull between manuscript delivery and the edit phase, means I have more time currently to pursue this new interest — huzza for lulls.

My ‘discovery’ (personal discovery, that is, since they’ve been around for quite a while) began with a review list that praised The Extraordinary Attorney Woo, about the fledgling career of a young attorney (Woo Young-woo) on the autism spectrum. Without knowing anything about the South Korean legal system, I suspect many of the cases are largely “fantasy law” (I stand to be corrected on this, but it’s pretty standard for most legal dramas I’ve viewed), but the series’ charm lies in its characters, its humour, and its depiction of the challenges faced by those with autism striving to navigate careers and workplaces that (generally) don’t accommodate them.

Bon Appetit, Your Majesty

Not long afterward, another review list pointed me to Bon Appetit Your Majesty, about a Michelin chef transported back through time to a (troubled) period in the Joseon era of Korean history — where she encounters a young king who is also a gourmet. Although initially a little resistant, the show’s mix of political machinations in the Joseon court and the starring role of haute cuisine in the story, soon had me hooked.

The Flower Crew

Sufficiently so that I was ready to try the (also recommended via various lists) The Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency soon thereafter. At first I was inclined to be dismissive, thinking it was just a vehicle for an historical variant on a “boy band” fable, but I ended being very impressed by the way the show writers handled so many diverse characters and their back stories, as well as the central love story’s  proverbially rocky path amid even more rocky political plotting, and pulled it all together at the end. Plus all the characters were really interesting, and some of the secondary relationships, e.g. between fathers and their children, and also siblings, as well as bonds of friendship, were both engaging and absorbing.

Empress Ki

Currently, I have embarked upon Empress Ki, an historical drama that runs to a mighty 51 episodes! On current viewing, it’s clearly a sprawling epic, which follows the rise of a young Korean woman, Kang (aka Ki Seung-nyang), from tribute slave and street “thug” (bandit/criminal) to Empress of China during the Yuan (Mongolian) era of imperial rule. The core of the dramatic tension, amidst court plots and border wars, lies in the romantic triangle between Yang and her competing suitors: Wang Yu, the deposed King of Goryeo (the Korean kingdom that preceded Joseon historically) and the young (and currently feckless) Emperor Toghon Temur. There is probably a tad too much romantic triangle for my tastes currently (although some of it is pretty funny, too), but Kang is a fantastic character, and the political and fighting sequences can be really tense. I’m only one quarter of the way through, so it’s early days, but on current form I’m pretty sure I’m going to enjoy the whole.

It may be worth mentioning as well that so far everything I’ve watched has had subtitles rather than being dubbed. On the basis of my experience to date, I would definitely stick with the subtitles even if a dubbed version was available, simply because I garner so much more of the story nuance from the Korean intonation and cadence, marrying it with expression and action, even though I don’t speak the language.

Also worth mentioning is that there are so many K-dramas available currently, that I should be able to indulge my new enthusiasm for some time to come. 😀

(c) Helen Lowe, 2026