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Putting the Fact in Fantasy: Expert Advice to Bring Authenticity to Your Fantasy Writing
A collection of essays from historians, linguists, martial artists, and other experts to help you write more compelling fantasy by getting the facts right
Whether it's correctly naming the parts of a horse, knowing how lords and ladies address one another, or building a realistic fantasy army, getting the details right takes fantasy writing to the next level. Featuring some of the most popular articles from Dan Koboldt’s Fact in Fantasy blog as well as several never-before-seen essays, this book gives aspiring and established fantasy writers alike an essential foundation to the fascinating history and cultures of our own world, which serve as a jumping-off point for more inspired and convincing fantasy.
Whether it's correctly naming the parts of a horse, knowing how lords and ladies address one another, or building a realistic fantasy army, getting the details right takes fantasy writing to the next level. Featuring some of the most popular articles from Dan Koboldt’s Fact in Fantasy blog as well as several never-before-seen essays, this book gives aspiring and established fantasy writers alike an essential foundation to the fascinating history and cultures of our own world, which serve as a jumping-off point for more inspired and convincing fantasy.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2022
63 people are currently reading
588 people want to read
About the author
Dan Koboldt
28 books370 followersDan Koboldt is a genetics researcher who has co-authored more than 90 publications in Nature, Science, the New England Journal of Medicine, and other journals. Every fall, he disappears into the woods to pursue whitetail deer with bow and arrow. He lives with his wife and three children in Ohio, where the deer take their revenge by eating all of the plants in his backyard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
May 4, 2022
This book beats google hands-down for helping authors with necessary research. It's written for authors by authors, so they KNOW the details you need to be able to write something like an expert. Trust me, I've tried googling specialized vocabulary for everything from being a drummer to flying a plane and it's just so easy to misuse one word so that your reader scoff at your character trying to pretend to be a fighter pilot or what have you.
I also noticed the description of this book doesn't show all the topics of the different articles, so I'm going to copy/paste the table of contents here, so you can see what topics are covered. It's a nice mix of really specialized worldbuilding topics- how to create a fantasy government, etc. and real life skills like writing your characters traveling through the woods with enough realism that Appalachian Trail hikers won't scoff at you. Here's the topics:
Part 1 It Already Happened: History as Inspiration
“World-building with the Spanish Inquisition” Jay S. Willis
“Facts About the American Old West” Hayley Stone
“Female Professions of Medieval Europe” Tahereh Safavi
“Historically Accurate Ways to Die” Wanda S. Henry
“A Quick and Dirty Guide to Feudal Nobility” Tahereh Safavi
“Religious Culture of the Ancient Near East” Hayley Stone
“African and Asian Exchanges with Medieval Europe” Tahereh Safavi
“Religious Fundamentalism in Fantasy” Spencer Ellsworth
“Fomenting Rebellions in Fantasy” Colleen Halverson
“Enchanted Mouras and Miracles: Portugal’s Moor and Christian Ancestry” Diana Pinguicha
“A Brief History of Real-World Magic” Jay S. Willis
Part 2 Speak, Friend, and Enter: Languages and Culture
“Archaeology in Science Fiction and Fantasy” Graeme Talboys
“The Linguistics in Arrival” Christina Dalcher
“Realistic Translation in Fiction” Marie Brennan
“Developing Realistic Fantasy Cultures” Hannah Emery
“Languages in Fiction” Christina Dalcher
“Legends and Folktales in Fantasy” Colleen Halverson
“Woodworking Myths in Fiction” Dustin Fife
“Witchcraft in Medieval and Renaissance Europe” E.B. Wheeler
“Traditional European Superstitions” E.B. Wheeler
Part 3 How to Make It Up: World-building
“Health and Wellness Implications of World-Building” Olaseni Ajibade
“Designing Realistic Magic Academies” Hannah Emery
“Prophets, Preachers, and Priests in Fantasy” Jay S. Willis
“Money Makes the World Go ’Round” A.R. Lucas
“Political Philosophies for Fictional Worlds” Kate Heartfield
“Legal Systems in Fantasy Worlds” J.R.H. Lawless
“Building Credible and Interesting Political Systems” Carrie Callaghan
“World-building with Food and Drink” Crystal King
“Plants in World-building” Amber Royer
“Organic World-building Through Ecology” Sarah J. Sover
Part 4 Weapons and Warfare: When in Doubt, Add These
“Realistic Knife Fighting” Eric Primm
“Medieval Versus Modern Archery” Dan Koboldt
“Writing Realistic Soldiers for Fun and Profit” Michael Mammay
“Realistic Fighting for Authors” Eric Primm
“Building a Fantasy Army” Michael Mammay
“Martial Arts Magic: Building a Fighter from the Ground Up” Ember Randall
“Stabbed in the Chest: Mortal Wounds and Medicine” Jen Finelli
Part 5 You Don’t Know Horses, But We Do
“How To Describe Horses in Fiction” Amy Perkins-McKenna
“Horse Terminology: Gaits and Anatomy” Amy Perkins-McKenna
“Horse Terminology: Tack and Riding” Amy Perkins-McKenna
“How to Write Horses Wrong” Rachel Annelise Chaney
“Matching Horses to Use, Setting, and Character” Rachel Annelise Chaney
“How to Injure Horses Realistically” Rachel Annelise Chaney
“Horse Psychology 101” Debby Lush
Part 6 So You’re Going on an Adventure
“Three Ways to Write a Better Hike” Victoria Sandbrook
“Wilderness Survival” Rebecca Mowry
“How to Write Rock Climbing Wrong” Michelle Hazen
“Castles and Ruins” Cheyenne L. Campbell
“Things Authors Don’t Know About the Woods” Dan Koboldt
“Writing Realistic Forests” Terence Newman
(And yes, I did write one article in this, but I love this book mostly for the things I learned from all the other contributors! Oh how I wish I'd had a book like this for writing music details back when I started my rocker series!)
I also noticed the description of this book doesn't show all the topics of the different articles, so I'm going to copy/paste the table of contents here, so you can see what topics are covered. It's a nice mix of really specialized worldbuilding topics- how to create a fantasy government, etc. and real life skills like writing your characters traveling through the woods with enough realism that Appalachian Trail hikers won't scoff at you. Here's the topics:
Part 1 It Already Happened: History as Inspiration
“World-building with the Spanish Inquisition” Jay S. Willis
“Facts About the American Old West” Hayley Stone
“Female Professions of Medieval Europe” Tahereh Safavi
“Historically Accurate Ways to Die” Wanda S. Henry
“A Quick and Dirty Guide to Feudal Nobility” Tahereh Safavi
“Religious Culture of the Ancient Near East” Hayley Stone
“African and Asian Exchanges with Medieval Europe” Tahereh Safavi
“Religious Fundamentalism in Fantasy” Spencer Ellsworth
“Fomenting Rebellions in Fantasy” Colleen Halverson
“Enchanted Mouras and Miracles: Portugal’s Moor and Christian Ancestry” Diana Pinguicha
“A Brief History of Real-World Magic” Jay S. Willis
Part 2 Speak, Friend, and Enter: Languages and Culture
“Archaeology in Science Fiction and Fantasy” Graeme Talboys
“The Linguistics in Arrival” Christina Dalcher
“Realistic Translation in Fiction” Marie Brennan
“Developing Realistic Fantasy Cultures” Hannah Emery
“Languages in Fiction” Christina Dalcher
“Legends and Folktales in Fantasy” Colleen Halverson
“Woodworking Myths in Fiction” Dustin Fife
“Witchcraft in Medieval and Renaissance Europe” E.B. Wheeler
“Traditional European Superstitions” E.B. Wheeler
Part 3 How to Make It Up: World-building
“Health and Wellness Implications of World-Building” Olaseni Ajibade
“Designing Realistic Magic Academies” Hannah Emery
“Prophets, Preachers, and Priests in Fantasy” Jay S. Willis
“Money Makes the World Go ’Round” A.R. Lucas
“Political Philosophies for Fictional Worlds” Kate Heartfield
“Legal Systems in Fantasy Worlds” J.R.H. Lawless
“Building Credible and Interesting Political Systems” Carrie Callaghan
“World-building with Food and Drink” Crystal King
“Plants in World-building” Amber Royer
“Organic World-building Through Ecology” Sarah J. Sover
Part 4 Weapons and Warfare: When in Doubt, Add These
“Realistic Knife Fighting” Eric Primm
“Medieval Versus Modern Archery” Dan Koboldt
“Writing Realistic Soldiers for Fun and Profit” Michael Mammay
“Realistic Fighting for Authors” Eric Primm
“Building a Fantasy Army” Michael Mammay
“Martial Arts Magic: Building a Fighter from the Ground Up” Ember Randall
“Stabbed in the Chest: Mortal Wounds and Medicine” Jen Finelli
Part 5 You Don’t Know Horses, But We Do
“How To Describe Horses in Fiction” Amy Perkins-McKenna
“Horse Terminology: Gaits and Anatomy” Amy Perkins-McKenna
“Horse Terminology: Tack and Riding” Amy Perkins-McKenna
“How to Write Horses Wrong” Rachel Annelise Chaney
“Matching Horses to Use, Setting, and Character” Rachel Annelise Chaney
“How to Injure Horses Realistically” Rachel Annelise Chaney
“Horse Psychology 101” Debby Lush
Part 6 So You’re Going on an Adventure
“Three Ways to Write a Better Hike” Victoria Sandbrook
“Wilderness Survival” Rebecca Mowry
“How to Write Rock Climbing Wrong” Michelle Hazen
“Castles and Ruins” Cheyenne L. Campbell
“Things Authors Don’t Know About the Woods” Dan Koboldt
“Writing Realistic Forests” Terence Newman
(And yes, I did write one article in this, but I love this book mostly for the things I learned from all the other contributors! Oh how I wish I'd had a book like this for writing music details back when I started my rocker series!)
May 17, 2022
Koboldt, Dan, editor. Putting the Fact in Fantasy: Expert Advice to Bring Authenticity to Your Fantasy Writing. Foreword by Scott Lynch. Writer’s Digest Books, 2022.
Putting the Fact in Fantasy is a collection of short pieces by writers with knowledge in areas related to the sort of world-building encountered by most fantasy writers. There are articles on history, with an emphasis on life and society in the Middle Ages. A section on archeology contains a fascinating piece on linguistics and translation. Translating an ancient language is not as easy as it looks in the movies. There are pieces on ecology and one on warfare and weapons that will give you respect for the humble knife as a weapon. An article on horsemanship by Amy Perkins-McKenna, also tells fantasy novelists not to get their images of horses from the movies, because movies often use the wrong types of horses for the jobs at hand. Horse gender matters, she says, because stallions are much harder to control than mares and geldings. The mantra among riders is “tell a gelding, ask a mare, and negotiate with a stallion.” I do not intend to write a fantasy epic, but the advice offered by Koboldt and company will make me a more knowledgeable reader. 4 stars.
Putting the Fact in Fantasy is a collection of short pieces by writers with knowledge in areas related to the sort of world-building encountered by most fantasy writers. There are articles on history, with an emphasis on life and society in the Middle Ages. A section on archeology contains a fascinating piece on linguistics and translation. Translating an ancient language is not as easy as it looks in the movies. There are pieces on ecology and one on warfare and weapons that will give you respect for the humble knife as a weapon. An article on horsemanship by Amy Perkins-McKenna, also tells fantasy novelists not to get their images of horses from the movies, because movies often use the wrong types of horses for the jobs at hand. Horse gender matters, she says, because stallions are much harder to control than mares and geldings. The mantra among riders is “tell a gelding, ask a mare, and negotiate with a stallion.” I do not intend to write a fantasy epic, but the advice offered by Koboldt and company will make me a more knowledgeable reader. 4 stars.
May 4, 2022
This gem of a book is packed with all sorts of great writing advice from 34 different authors to help writers build worlds that feel realistic. While it's billed as a book for fantasy authors, many historical fiction writers will also find the information within helpful. How to have realistic swordfights, everything you ever wanted to know about horses, all the ways that food can enhance the world you are creating...and so much more. This is a must-have for your writing library.
February 1, 2023
Este era un libro que prometía: científicos dando consejos sobre cómo los autores de fantasía podían mejorar sus historias y evitar muchos errores de novato. En lo que respecta a mí, de 50 artículos hubo un sólo artículo realmente bueno: Creando sistema políticos creíbles e interesantes, de Carrie Callaghan; en el que se notaba que la autora había leído fantasía y dio ejemplos concretos de que debían hacer los escritores. Hubieron otros 8 artículos en los que los autores no habían leído mucha fantasía, pero se esforzaron para dar consejos útiles sobre su tema.
Los demás artículos eran los autores hablando sobre sus obsesiones o quejándose de lo mal que lo hacen las películas, muchos de ellos sin tener un enfoque en la escritura ni en la fantasía. Por lo que la experiencia de lectura fue lenta y muy, muy tediosa.
Creo que podrían haber hecho un mejor libro si cada experto hubiera respondido a las dudas más comunes que tienen los escritores de fantasía en su campo y brindado algunas líneas guías bajo las cuales los autores puedan especular por su cuenta sin equivocarse demasiado.
Por lo que salvo los artículos que mencioné, el libro no tienen mucho que ofrecer, pero queda de su parte el decidir si leerlo.
Los demás artículos eran los autores hablando sobre sus obsesiones o quejándose de lo mal que lo hacen las películas, muchos de ellos sin tener un enfoque en la escritura ni en la fantasía. Por lo que la experiencia de lectura fue lenta y muy, muy tediosa.
Creo que podrían haber hecho un mejor libro si cada experto hubiera respondido a las dudas más comunes que tienen los escritores de fantasía en su campo y brindado algunas líneas guías bajo las cuales los autores puedan especular por su cuenta sin equivocarse demasiado.
Por lo que salvo los artículos que mencioné, el libro no tienen mucho que ofrecer, pero queda de su parte el decidir si leerlo.
August 15, 2022
This book is absolutely fantastic. It is incredibly comprehensive yet also easily digestible. The various essays are only about 5-7 pages each and do a very good job of breaking down a variety of concepts. You can really tell that each contributor knows what they’re talking about.
You could either read cover to cover (like I did) or jump around and just read the essays that apply to what you’re writing. On that note, even if you’re not a fantasy author, I’d still recommend this book. If you read fantasy, it’ll give you some really interesting insight into the genre. And even if you don’t read fantasy, you can learn so many interesting things about a variety of topics, ranging from the Spanish Inquisition to the parts of a horse to how to survive in the desert.
You could either read cover to cover (like I did) or jump around and just read the essays that apply to what you’re writing. On that note, even if you’re not a fantasy author, I’d still recommend this book. If you read fantasy, it’ll give you some really interesting insight into the genre. And even if you don’t read fantasy, you can learn so many interesting things about a variety of topics, ranging from the Spanish Inquisition to the parts of a horse to how to survive in the desert.
September 1, 2023
Rating: 4 stars.
A great collection of short essays on a wide variety of topics that might be relevant to a fantasy writer. Though some of the chapters varied in quality and usefulness, I'll definitely be holding on to it to reference on specific points in the future.
A great collection of short essays on a wide variety of topics that might be relevant to a fantasy writer. Though some of the chapters varied in quality and usefulness, I'll definitely be holding on to it to reference on specific points in the future.
November 20, 2022
Uneven quality from chapter to chapter. All may be written by subject experts, but only some are good at teaching their expertise. Best read only in pieces, and only what interests you, which is a strong argument for not buying this book but just reading the individual blog posts it is comprised of. Still useful to me however.
September 6, 2024
4.0 - I think this book does a great job of getting you a bit of information to get started, and then point you in the right direction to continue your own research. There are short essays and advice from experts in all different types of fields that may be relevant to worldbuilding or fantasy. From a whole section on horses, to food, weapons/fighting, philosophy, history, and more, these experts give you a breakdown of what is commonly done incorrectly in fantasy writing and how to amend it in your own work.
Even though I’m someone who has only really dipped into fantasy writing for shorter works, there were a lot of things discussed in these essays that I was already aware were things to consider when writing in the genre, but even though these were familiar topics, they weren’t “old news.” Each niche expert provided new insights or new perspectives on how each element could work (or not work) in a story, and although they were adamant about wanting writers to be accurate and align with our natural world, many also explained that these accuracies could coincide with magic or other fantasy elements and mesh together into something new, but still familiar. That’s one of the things I really appreciated; each essay felt like the expert saying “hey, don’t do these things because they’re wrong and inaccurate” but rather than just leaving it there, they create solutions: “this is how to correct these misconceptions, and this is a potential way you could incorporate it into your work.”
I think this is a great book to have on your shelf as a reference and starting place. Obviously, more research will need to be done than what it provided within this text, but it gives you a base line knowledge on numerous different subjects that you then can grow in the ways you need to by researching your main focuses on your own. If you’re looking for something on how to actually write fantasy, that’s not really this book’s job. This is more of a reminder and reference on how to be accurate in fantasy to strengthen your world. If that’s what you’re looking for, then I think this is a great book to gain diet information and discover what pathways you need to explore next for your work.
Even though I’m someone who has only really dipped into fantasy writing for shorter works, there were a lot of things discussed in these essays that I was already aware were things to consider when writing in the genre, but even though these were familiar topics, they weren’t “old news.” Each niche expert provided new insights or new perspectives on how each element could work (or not work) in a story, and although they were adamant about wanting writers to be accurate and align with our natural world, many also explained that these accuracies could coincide with magic or other fantasy elements and mesh together into something new, but still familiar. That’s one of the things I really appreciated; each essay felt like the expert saying “hey, don’t do these things because they’re wrong and inaccurate” but rather than just leaving it there, they create solutions: “this is how to correct these misconceptions, and this is a potential way you could incorporate it into your work.”
I think this is a great book to have on your shelf as a reference and starting place. Obviously, more research will need to be done than what it provided within this text, but it gives you a base line knowledge on numerous different subjects that you then can grow in the ways you need to by researching your main focuses on your own. If you’re looking for something on how to actually write fantasy, that’s not really this book’s job. This is more of a reminder and reference on how to be accurate in fantasy to strengthen your world. If that’s what you’re looking for, then I think this is a great book to gain diet information and discover what pathways you need to explore next for your work.
August 4, 2025
Really good book, highly recommend for anyone remotely interested in worldbuilding - EXCEPT: LIAM, DO NOT READ THIS PLEASE, THANKS :)
If I mess up you shouldn't possess the knowledge to call me out >:(
If I mess up you shouldn't possess the knowledge to call me out >:(
May 13, 2023
Enormously useful
July 1, 2024
Did you know that horses can’t throw up? I didn’t!
September 28, 2025
An absolutely fascinating read. I now know a little more about a lot of things.
December 23, 2022
never have I been more aware that my worldbuilding is like tissue paper. but for reals this almost made me excited to do some worldbuilding for my fantasy novel and that's no small feat.
March 23, 2023
Putting the Fact in Fantasy is an enjoyable and informative read, especially if you're looking to branch out your considerations for world-building, whether it be for fantasy, sci-fi, or historical fiction.
May 7, 2023
I enjoyed this one much more than I thought I would. It's basically a collection of essays by people who know things about stuff and are not afraid to talk about it; a bit like spending a four-hour train ride next to a nice, but slightly demented lady going on and on about how Transphobe Rowling messed up her academia-related worldbuilding ("Designing Realistic Magic Academies", Hannah Emery) or all the ways the movie "Arrival" got linguistics totally, but TOTALLY wrong ("The Linguistics in 'Arrival'", Christina Dalcher).
There's expertise on knife fights (spoiler alert: DON'T GET INTO ONE, YOU'LL DIE); the mechanics and psychology of rebellions; legal as well as political systems and religions; currency; horses; the woods; archery; POC in medieval Europe; martial arts/wounds/stuff that hurts (e.g. humans and/or horses); rock climbing; and lots and lots of other things that probably never crossed your mind. The best part: everyone is wonderfully opinionated. Monty Python get referenced a lot. Idiocies get skewered. Honestly, even though I don't ever read nor have any interest in writing fantasy, this was hugely helpful as well as entertaining.
My sincere thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title. Most of the time I exercise my god-given talent to pick out clunkers, but this one was a winner.
There's expertise on knife fights (spoiler alert: DON'T GET INTO ONE, YOU'LL DIE); the mechanics and psychology of rebellions; legal as well as political systems and religions; currency; horses; the woods; archery; POC in medieval Europe; martial arts/wounds/stuff that hurts (e.g. humans and/or horses); rock climbing; and lots and lots of other things that probably never crossed your mind. The best part: everyone is wonderfully opinionated. Monty Python get referenced a lot. Idiocies get skewered. Honestly, even though I don't ever read nor have any interest in writing fantasy, this was hugely helpful as well as entertaining.
My sincere thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title. Most of the time I exercise my god-given talent to pick out clunkers, but this one was a winner.
July 5, 2022
While most essays were super useful and taught me so much (and such interesting things), others went into too much detail to the point of tearful boredom.
Nonetheless, I'm already using some of the things I learned here in my writing.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Nonetheless, I'm already using some of the things I learned here in my writing.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 1, 2022
This is a collection of fascinating and informative articles about subjects that can make a fantasy writer's work more realistic and believable. History? Yes. Details? Yes. Even better? How and why to use them to improve a story--whether it is background, a side issue, or your focus!
I admit to expecting details that would correct faux pas like descriptions of soldiers on horseback traveling "in silence," or other unnatural happenings. However, this book assumes writers can watch a YouTube clip for such common details.
These are advanced subjects by experts in their field; such as "What did it mean to be a viking, and where did they travel?" This map is not the one my teachers had (long ago)! Political intrigue, feudal nobility, religion in the Near East, Archaeology in science fiction and fantasy, languages, realistic fantasy cultures, world building, and so much more! There is literally something here for everyone.
Amongst the dull stacks of books about writing (I have read many), this book is a bonfire-bright beacon of useful and exciting tools to help any writer craft great fiction and fantasy. It's almost foolproof. It's the closest thing to a guarantee you can buy.
A book like this gives you insights that will not lose value over time; making it a wonderful investment--and fun to read--for anyone interested in these subjects. (Me, waving my hand.) For writers, hobbyists (gamers, LARPers, etc.), and readers.
5/5 Stars
Thanks to Writers Digest Books and NetGalley for the preview of this galley in pdf; the review is voluntary.
#PuttingtheFactinFantasy #NetGalley
#PenguinRanfomHouse #Nonfiction
#FictionWritersReferenceBook
#WritersDigestBooks
#EditorDanKoboldt
I admit to expecting details that would correct faux pas like descriptions of soldiers on horseback traveling "in silence," or other unnatural happenings. However, this book assumes writers can watch a YouTube clip for such common details.
These are advanced subjects by experts in their field; such as "What did it mean to be a viking, and where did they travel?" This map is not the one my teachers had (long ago)! Political intrigue, feudal nobility, religion in the Near East, Archaeology in science fiction and fantasy, languages, realistic fantasy cultures, world building, and so much more! There is literally something here for everyone.
Amongst the dull stacks of books about writing (I have read many), this book is a bonfire-bright beacon of useful and exciting tools to help any writer craft great fiction and fantasy. It's almost foolproof. It's the closest thing to a guarantee you can buy.
A book like this gives you insights that will not lose value over time; making it a wonderful investment--and fun to read--for anyone interested in these subjects. (Me, waving my hand.) For writers, hobbyists (gamers, LARPers, etc.), and readers.
5/5 Stars
Thanks to Writers Digest Books and NetGalley for the preview of this galley in pdf; the review is voluntary.
#PuttingtheFactinFantasy #NetGalley
#PenguinRanfomHouse #Nonfiction
#FictionWritersReferenceBook
#WritersDigestBooks
#EditorDanKoboldt
December 28, 2023
Fantastic anthology of essays, ranging from how to write woodworking accurately to the origin of magic. I absolutely loved learning about chocolate houses (THIS should be a fantasy story somewhere), Ptolemy’s idea of magic, an army’s secondary army of women/children, writing horses realistically, and how to survive in a wilderness. I learned so much, and have not shut up about all the random things in the last week. Would recommend to any and all fiction writers, not just fantasy!
Abundant thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy I can mark up and highlights to my little heart’s content.
Abundant thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy I can mark up and highlights to my little heart’s content.
February 19, 2022
This review is of an ARC provided by Netgalley and Penguin Random house in exchange for an honest review.
My rating for this book is a solid 4/5.
I am personally interested in reading more about the craft of writing and particularly about crafting fantasy worlds. I have long being a sincere fan of worldbuilding as well as being actively involved in the process of writing my own book series. So, as such, I requested an ARC of this book seeing what would be included in this book and if the advice in this book would add to my knowledge and allow me to improve on gap which previously existed.
'Putting the Fact in Fact' is a collection of essays tackling a variety of topics from politics to linguistics to the nitty gritty details about horses (an entire section dedicated to all sorts of Equestrian knowledge!) framed from the angle of how this would be helpful to know in the context of fantasy worldbuilding.
Overall, I find the set up for many of the articles to be incredibly well-thought-out and organised in an intuitive manner. Many essays provide in-depth citations and recommended readings through which you are encouraged to read further on the subject matter. With each being something of a small primer on the subject.
A lot of the details provided in each essay can build upon each other and inform a deeper understanding of how to intrigue readers and supplementing depth to common fantasy settings and tropes. In particular, I find the article on discussing historical religious structures such as the Spanish Inquisition and much of how to depict them to be helpful as often those concepts are built upon very real history that could serve as sources of inspiration to draw parallels and allusions to in a way that more deeply ground your story in a very real sense.
Those in particular serves in equipping the aspiring and seasoned writers of fantasy alike in knowledge of varying levels of depths and complexity. It can have broader uses just outside of being purely for fantasy writers as well, though that is its primary target audience, I could easily think of several ways those articles could inform how you design and plot a session of Tabletop Role-playing Game such a D&D and developing a setting that your players would be intrigued by as a DM.
I wish to see more books like this, and I would overall heartily recommend this book.
My rating for this book is a solid 4/5.
I am personally interested in reading more about the craft of writing and particularly about crafting fantasy worlds. I have long being a sincere fan of worldbuilding as well as being actively involved in the process of writing my own book series. So, as such, I requested an ARC of this book seeing what would be included in this book and if the advice in this book would add to my knowledge and allow me to improve on gap which previously existed.
'Putting the Fact in Fact' is a collection of essays tackling a variety of topics from politics to linguistics to the nitty gritty details about horses (an entire section dedicated to all sorts of Equestrian knowledge!) framed from the angle of how this would be helpful to know in the context of fantasy worldbuilding.
Overall, I find the set up for many of the articles to be incredibly well-thought-out and organised in an intuitive manner. Many essays provide in-depth citations and recommended readings through which you are encouraged to read further on the subject matter. With each being something of a small primer on the subject.
A lot of the details provided in each essay can build upon each other and inform a deeper understanding of how to intrigue readers and supplementing depth to common fantasy settings and tropes. In particular, I find the article on discussing historical religious structures such as the Spanish Inquisition and much of how to depict them to be helpful as often those concepts are built upon very real history that could serve as sources of inspiration to draw parallels and allusions to in a way that more deeply ground your story in a very real sense.
Those in particular serves in equipping the aspiring and seasoned writers of fantasy alike in knowledge of varying levels of depths and complexity. It can have broader uses just outside of being purely for fantasy writers as well, though that is its primary target audience, I could easily think of several ways those articles could inform how you design and plot a session of Tabletop Role-playing Game such a D&D and developing a setting that your players would be intrigued by as a DM.
I wish to see more books like this, and I would overall heartily recommend this book.
March 4, 2022
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Random House Writer's Digest Books for an advanced copy of this new writing reference.
There is an old saying in that other world of fantasy were heroes vie with villains for belts and sometimes revenge, professional wrestling. Famed writer tag team wrestling manager and historian has always said about wrestling, "If you can make it real, or as close as real as possible, people will believe it. They want to believe, so give them something, anything they can go, ohhh that's true, and they will believe and follow along". I'm paraphrasing a tad, but it is true. Present readers with a believable world, run by wizards, with a currency based on magic, and make it real, people will dress up as your characters at conventions, and argue about minor character beard lengths. Putting the Fact: Expert Advice to Bring Authenticity to Your Fantasy Writing edited by Dan Koboldt is the book to make that fantasy, science fiction, historical, or whatever you are writing real to readers.
This guide is a collection of essays from experts and other writers on a variety of subjects ranging from history to ecology, to animal husbandry and really everything writer might need. The essays are grouped in sections, language, world building, adventuring, and not only answers questions that might not have occurred, but might take that adventure into different areas. Something else I found interesting was the introduction by Scott Lynch who talks about mistakes, they are going to happen, and mistakes in his first book. Helpful and refreshing, because who wants to admit mistakes, but honest about what he did, and as he explains, you will to, but if you make what's around it believable, people will forgive. And as a writer you have to forgive yourself.
The essays are all well written, and very interesting. The focus of the title is on the genre of fantasy, but I think this is pretty much a complete reference for most writers. A romance featuring two widows finding in love in a small town should be as believable as a floating city in the clouds populated by Gods. This writing reference has a very interesting approach and would like to see more guides like this.
Definitely recommended for all writers, in all forms, books, comics, games webisodes, whatever the writer is creating for. There is a lot of good information, and maybe reading a section might jar something loose, or take the project into a whole new area. One of the better writing books I have read.
There is an old saying in that other world of fantasy were heroes vie with villains for belts and sometimes revenge, professional wrestling. Famed writer tag team wrestling manager and historian has always said about wrestling, "If you can make it real, or as close as real as possible, people will believe it. They want to believe, so give them something, anything they can go, ohhh that's true, and they will believe and follow along". I'm paraphrasing a tad, but it is true. Present readers with a believable world, run by wizards, with a currency based on magic, and make it real, people will dress up as your characters at conventions, and argue about minor character beard lengths. Putting the Fact: Expert Advice to Bring Authenticity to Your Fantasy Writing edited by Dan Koboldt is the book to make that fantasy, science fiction, historical, or whatever you are writing real to readers.
This guide is a collection of essays from experts and other writers on a variety of subjects ranging from history to ecology, to animal husbandry and really everything writer might need. The essays are grouped in sections, language, world building, adventuring, and not only answers questions that might not have occurred, but might take that adventure into different areas. Something else I found interesting was the introduction by Scott Lynch who talks about mistakes, they are going to happen, and mistakes in his first book. Helpful and refreshing, because who wants to admit mistakes, but honest about what he did, and as he explains, you will to, but if you make what's around it believable, people will forgive. And as a writer you have to forgive yourself.
The essays are all well written, and very interesting. The focus of the title is on the genre of fantasy, but I think this is pretty much a complete reference for most writers. A romance featuring two widows finding in love in a small town should be as believable as a floating city in the clouds populated by Gods. This writing reference has a very interesting approach and would like to see more guides like this.
Definitely recommended for all writers, in all forms, books, comics, games webisodes, whatever the writer is creating for. There is a lot of good information, and maybe reading a section might jar something loose, or take the project into a whole new area. One of the better writing books I have read.
April 16, 2023
What is an archaeologist? What is a linguist? Young readers, for whom these questions may be relevant, will find this book provides a very high-level overview of the realities and importance of these and other academic professions, as given by, well, academics in those professions. The dryness of the delivery may be off-putting to such readers, but should a middle-schooler be writing a novel with an archaeologist or linguist as the protagonist, the essays in this book on those topics may be relevant.
Most of the rest of the book reads like an annotated bibliography of, again, academic and fictional works currently in vogue in universities. General advice on writing links these references together, with some comments on race, class, pandemics, culture, and politics. One curious exception to the studied correctness of the authors would be in the highlighting and praise given to J.K. Rowling. One suspects that those essays would be written differently or not at all in 2023.
One of the J.K. Rowling discourses does, however, illustrate a problem with the book. The cleverness and originality of Rowling in inventing the Horcrux is extolled. The author of this essay seems to be unaware that the Horcrux is, essentially, a renamed phylactery as functionally described in Dungeons & Dragons, predating Rowling’s work by decades. Several essays in this book do little more than abjure readers to know about what they write, so that they do not get caught out by such mistakes, and yet the book falls prey to the same.
As this example shows, the book is rooted in Academia, more so than fantasy or tabletop roleplaying games. Even the handful of fiction authors who contributed to the volume have an academic perspective. Most writers or game designers older than 21 may have already considered the topics covered here, and, quite possibly, in greater depth than this book. Such readers should save their time.
The book could be useful to those completely new to worldbuilding, who may need reminding that even fantasy cities (likely) need a water supply and sanitation. The reading list given would also serve well as a primer for any high school student hoping to study one of the social sciences in college. Well, except for the J.K. Rowling bit. They might want to skip that.
[cross-posting my review from Audible]
Most of the rest of the book reads like an annotated bibliography of, again, academic and fictional works currently in vogue in universities. General advice on writing links these references together, with some comments on race, class, pandemics, culture, and politics. One curious exception to the studied correctness of the authors would be in the highlighting and praise given to J.K. Rowling. One suspects that those essays would be written differently or not at all in 2023.
One of the J.K. Rowling discourses does, however, illustrate a problem with the book. The cleverness and originality of Rowling in inventing the Horcrux is extolled. The author of this essay seems to be unaware that the Horcrux is, essentially, a renamed phylactery as functionally described in Dungeons & Dragons, predating Rowling’s work by decades. Several essays in this book do little more than abjure readers to know about what they write, so that they do not get caught out by such mistakes, and yet the book falls prey to the same.
As this example shows, the book is rooted in Academia, more so than fantasy or tabletop roleplaying games. Even the handful of fiction authors who contributed to the volume have an academic perspective. Most writers or game designers older than 21 may have already considered the topics covered here, and, quite possibly, in greater depth than this book. Such readers should save their time.
The book could be useful to those completely new to worldbuilding, who may need reminding that even fantasy cities (likely) need a water supply and sanitation. The reading list given would also serve well as a primer for any high school student hoping to study one of the social sciences in college. Well, except for the J.K. Rowling bit. They might want to skip that.
[cross-posting my review from Audible]
December 22, 2024
As is often the case with collections featuring work from multiple authors, these varied pretty widely in quality. A few were outstanding, in that they provided both unique insight into the author’s area of expertise and solid guidance on how that insight could potentially be integrated into a fantasy story.
Some of the best, in my opinion, were Colleen Halverson’s “legends and folktales in fantasy,” Olaseni Ajibade’s “health and wellness” essay, and Jen Finelli’s “stabbed in the chest.”
Others were disappointingly surface level, and only offered information that could easily be gleaned from a basic google search. A couple read more like a slightly more detailed buzzfeed or cracked.com listicle of loosely connected facts the author found interesting or pet peeves they have. Again, these felt like blog posts giving surface info that can easily be found with a basic search. These included Hayley Stone’s “5 facts about the American old west” and Marie Brennan’s “realistic translation in fantasy.”
Still others were more in-depth, but basically just gave an introduction to modern practice of a particular activity or field of study, without providing any insight that could help a fantasy writer consider ways that those modern best practices might be transformed or translated into more fantastical settings. These included most of the essays in the final section of the book, “part 6: so you’re going on an adventure.”
This book was a good reminder of why I really love using the library to check out books before committing to buying them: the concept of this book is one that really appeals to me, but the execution was often lacking.
In general, I think this would have been improved by having fewer contributing authors writing slightly longer essays that could allow them to develop some ideas more fully.
Some of the best, in my opinion, were Colleen Halverson’s “legends and folktales in fantasy,” Olaseni Ajibade’s “health and wellness” essay, and Jen Finelli’s “stabbed in the chest.”
Others were disappointingly surface level, and only offered information that could easily be gleaned from a basic google search. A couple read more like a slightly more detailed buzzfeed or cracked.com listicle of loosely connected facts the author found interesting or pet peeves they have. Again, these felt like blog posts giving surface info that can easily be found with a basic search. These included Hayley Stone’s “5 facts about the American old west” and Marie Brennan’s “realistic translation in fantasy.”
Still others were more in-depth, but basically just gave an introduction to modern practice of a particular activity or field of study, without providing any insight that could help a fantasy writer consider ways that those modern best practices might be transformed or translated into more fantastical settings. These included most of the essays in the final section of the book, “part 6: so you’re going on an adventure.”
This book was a good reminder of why I really love using the library to check out books before committing to buying them: the concept of this book is one that really appeals to me, but the execution was often lacking.
In general, I think this would have been improved by having fewer contributing authors writing slightly longer essays that could allow them to develop some ideas more fully.
June 2, 2022
First off, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I think it’s common to put the term “fair” review in there, but I saw a review once that gave a book one star for not featuring an actual professional wrestler’s name, and so I’ve given up on the concept of a fair review.
How about an unbiased review? No, this is my review, which means it’s inherently biased in favor of what I like which tends to be things that explode, burn, make pretty noises when dropped from great heights, or involve possums.
This book involves no possums, but I didn’t hold that against it.
Putting the Fact in Fantasy is yet another installment in a series that helps you ground your flight of fantasy in a way that deepens your world. Realistic knife fights. The actual parts of a horse beyond “leg, leg, leg, leg.” So many horrible ways to die, and even worse ways to describe those deaths. There’s nothing writers love more than accurate descriptions of sucking chest wounds, unless you’re writing a cozy romance. Even then, a sucking chest wound could be that finishing touch that makes “A Catholic Cowboy For Christmas” shine. You don’t know if you haven’t read it. And you should read it.
Whether it’s philosophy, money, religion, or the reality of a dense forest, you’ll find complications to make characters and the readers who love them miserable.
So get it. Read the parts that will apply to your book. And remember that in a Catholic Cowboy For Christmas, even a three inch hole right through the sternum can be fixed with a little love, some holiday music, and a couple of bandages. Also, there’s a section on realistic grave digging just in case.
How about an unbiased review? No, this is my review, which means it’s inherently biased in favor of what I like which tends to be things that explode, burn, make pretty noises when dropped from great heights, or involve possums.
This book involves no possums, but I didn’t hold that against it.
Putting the Fact in Fantasy is yet another installment in a series that helps you ground your flight of fantasy in a way that deepens your world. Realistic knife fights. The actual parts of a horse beyond “leg, leg, leg, leg.” So many horrible ways to die, and even worse ways to describe those deaths. There’s nothing writers love more than accurate descriptions of sucking chest wounds, unless you’re writing a cozy romance. Even then, a sucking chest wound could be that finishing touch that makes “A Catholic Cowboy For Christmas” shine. You don’t know if you haven’t read it. And you should read it.
Whether it’s philosophy, money, religion, or the reality of a dense forest, you’ll find complications to make characters and the readers who love them miserable.
So get it. Read the parts that will apply to your book. And remember that in a Catholic Cowboy For Christmas, even a three inch hole right through the sternum can be fixed with a little love, some holiday music, and a couple of bandages. Also, there’s a section on realistic grave digging just in case.
February 22, 2023
Quick review here — This book was a great lesson in world building 101.
What this book does NOT do is give you real world facts you need to have in your book, nor delve deeply into any one sphere of reality. That's not the point. What it DOES is give you ideas for the sorts of things to think about to make your book present as factual. It covers a very broad range of fantasy world-building checkboxes, giving you both real world and fantasy examples, as well as ideas, strategies, and philosophies for building your own version of fictional reality.
Topics covered span everything from sewer systems and medicine to military and fantasy magic.
Each section is written by a different author, and as such, some areas are covered more completely than others, and each has a slightly different point of view when it comes to world building. There are topics that are almost entirely based on an author's experience with writing. There are others written more as a 'how to' on researching facts. Still others are almost a history of the chosen topic, with little in the way of anecdotes.
I found the majority of the book useful, and quickly came up with a long list of things I had to work on, often because I just hadn't thought about the topic before and sometimes because I realized my coverage of a certain aspect was sketchy at best. I mean—sewer systems. Who writes fairy tales thinking of sewer systems? You'd be surprised.
I would recommend this book to any author, but especially whole-cloth world building authors. You've got a long road ahead of you, and this book can help you find the road signs.
What this book does NOT do is give you real world facts you need to have in your book, nor delve deeply into any one sphere of reality. That's not the point. What it DOES is give you ideas for the sorts of things to think about to make your book present as factual. It covers a very broad range of fantasy world-building checkboxes, giving you both real world and fantasy examples, as well as ideas, strategies, and philosophies for building your own version of fictional reality.
Topics covered span everything from sewer systems and medicine to military and fantasy magic.
Each section is written by a different author, and as such, some areas are covered more completely than others, and each has a slightly different point of view when it comes to world building. There are topics that are almost entirely based on an author's experience with writing. There are others written more as a 'how to' on researching facts. Still others are almost a history of the chosen topic, with little in the way of anecdotes.
I found the majority of the book useful, and quickly came up with a long list of things I had to work on, often because I just hadn't thought about the topic before and sometimes because I realized my coverage of a certain aspect was sketchy at best. I mean—sewer systems. Who writes fairy tales thinking of sewer systems? You'd be surprised.
I would recommend this book to any author, but especially whole-cloth world building authors. You've got a long road ahead of you, and this book can help you find the road signs.
May 1, 2022
This nonfiction resource for writers will be released on May 3, 2022. The publisher Penguin Random House provided me an early galley in exchange for an honest review.
The foreword by Scott Lynch could easily have come from my own background. As a kid, I was always writing stories (or at least starting them) after being inspired by something I watched or read. What was glaringly obvious in my earliest attempts, which I still have buried in a filing cabinet here in my man-cave, is the fact that I was not researching anything to give the work any sort of grounded authenticity in facts.
Yes, worlds of fantasy and science-fiction are wonderous and beyond the rules of the everyday one in which we live, but there is still a lot of everyday stuff in them that needs to be portrayed accurately. As Eric Primm points out in the introduction, it is critical that when a writer is world-building that it is in fact believable and functional. And for that, we need to turn to expert sources. This is where this collection of over forty essays from Dan Koboldt and many others comes into play.
From the American old west to medieval Europe, this book has you covered. Aspects of life like religion, ruling structures, and common causes of death, among other things, are also discussed. There is even a whole section devoted to horses. What I liked too is that many of the essays provide additional references for more details on that topic. All in all, this definitely is a resource that I could find myself going back to time and time again as my writing needs dictate.
The foreword by Scott Lynch could easily have come from my own background. As a kid, I was always writing stories (or at least starting them) after being inspired by something I watched or read. What was glaringly obvious in my earliest attempts, which I still have buried in a filing cabinet here in my man-cave, is the fact that I was not researching anything to give the work any sort of grounded authenticity in facts.
Yes, worlds of fantasy and science-fiction are wonderous and beyond the rules of the everyday one in which we live, but there is still a lot of everyday stuff in them that needs to be portrayed accurately. As Eric Primm points out in the introduction, it is critical that when a writer is world-building that it is in fact believable and functional. And for that, we need to turn to expert sources. This is where this collection of over forty essays from Dan Koboldt and many others comes into play.
From the American old west to medieval Europe, this book has you covered. Aspects of life like religion, ruling structures, and common causes of death, among other things, are also discussed. There is even a whole section devoted to horses. What I liked too is that many of the essays provide additional references for more details on that topic. All in all, this definitely is a resource that I could find myself going back to time and time again as my writing needs dictate.
February 9, 2022
This review is of an ARC provided by Netgalley and Penguin Random house in exchange for an honest review.
I requested this ARC on a whim, not sure what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised. This book is a collection of essay about writing more realistic fantasy, covering a variety of topics from politics to linguistics to healthcare. Each essay tackles some different aspect of worldbuilding, not simply "what was it really like in medieval times" but prompting writers to think critically about how and why societies and cultures are the way they are.
The advice in many of the essays will likely be a bit basic for someone with a strong academic background in the humanities. If you've already read Fanon, you probably are beyond what this book can teach you about political systems, for instance. However, for beginning writers, or writers less entrenched in academia, this book gives some very good food for thought. What I liked best was that it suggested further non-fiction reading to help the writer gain more insight into the structures and theories behind various aspects of societies. I am pretty well read when it comes to non fiction and I teach history, but there were still some essays on more specific topics that I found interesting and informative. There are essays on how diseases spread, about archaeology and artifacts, about cultural drift, about woodworking, about designing a realistic magical academy, among many others.
I would love to see a second edition of this book in the future that skips some of the more basic stuff and zeroes in on more of the specifics. As is, I can think of several people for whom this book would be an excellent resource and I will gladly recommend it.
I requested this ARC on a whim, not sure what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised. This book is a collection of essay about writing more realistic fantasy, covering a variety of topics from politics to linguistics to healthcare. Each essay tackles some different aspect of worldbuilding, not simply "what was it really like in medieval times" but prompting writers to think critically about how and why societies and cultures are the way they are.
The advice in many of the essays will likely be a bit basic for someone with a strong academic background in the humanities. If you've already read Fanon, you probably are beyond what this book can teach you about political systems, for instance. However, for beginning writers, or writers less entrenched in academia, this book gives some very good food for thought. What I liked best was that it suggested further non-fiction reading to help the writer gain more insight into the structures and theories behind various aspects of societies. I am pretty well read when it comes to non fiction and I teach history, but there were still some essays on more specific topics that I found interesting and informative. There are essays on how diseases spread, about archaeology and artifacts, about cultural drift, about woodworking, about designing a realistic magical academy, among many others.
I would love to see a second edition of this book in the future that skips some of the more basic stuff and zeroes in on more of the specifics. As is, I can think of several people for whom this book would be an excellent resource and I will gladly recommend it.
March 5, 2023
"Putting the Fact in Fantasy" is a companion volume to Dan Koboldt's previous book "Putting the Science and Fiction", which I previously reviewed.
Like its predecessor this book is chock-full of valuable information for any writer, but not necessarily those writing fantasy as it also deals with real world issues that might have bearing both in a fantasy story but also do in a contemporary one.
The book contains 51 individual essays by authors, who are also experts in their field. These individual essays are divine into six broad categories: history as inspiration, languages and culture, world building, weapons and warfare, horses, and going on an adventure.
The topics within a given category are all related (as you would expect). In the history one for example we deal with the Spanish Inquisition, the American old west, female professions in mediaeval Europe, Feudal Nobility, African and Asian cultures and exchange, religious fundamentalism, and real-world magic to name but a few.
While a writer will not use all these things in a particular story the details within these short essays should for the most part be extremely helpful for anyone who is a writer, and especially those who are looking to get into writing.
All of these topics could for the most part fall under the auspecies of world building, but this is something that is crucial to any well crafted story.
Highly recommended, especially for new writers and those who need inspiration.
Like its predecessor this book is chock-full of valuable information for any writer, but not necessarily those writing fantasy as it also deals with real world issues that might have bearing both in a fantasy story but also do in a contemporary one.
The book contains 51 individual essays by authors, who are also experts in their field. These individual essays are divine into six broad categories: history as inspiration, languages and culture, world building, weapons and warfare, horses, and going on an adventure.
The topics within a given category are all related (as you would expect). In the history one for example we deal with the Spanish Inquisition, the American old west, female professions in mediaeval Europe, Feudal Nobility, African and Asian cultures and exchange, religious fundamentalism, and real-world magic to name but a few.
While a writer will not use all these things in a particular story the details within these short essays should for the most part be extremely helpful for anyone who is a writer, and especially those who are looking to get into writing.
All of these topics could for the most part fall under the auspecies of world building, but this is something that is crucial to any well crafted story.
Highly recommended, especially for new writers and those who need inspiration.
March 10, 2022
“Putting the Fact in Fantasy” presents a collection of inspiring essays from various experts to help writers bring authenticity to their stories. The topics featured covered everything from getting your British hierarchy correct, to properly describing types of wood, to the importance of thinking through your world’s legal system, to selecting the right food and drinks for the time period. As an example, in Part 5 (You Don’t Know Horses, but We Do), I learned that almost everything I thought I knew about horses was wrong! I can now properly describe a horse’s height, coloring, and gaits without sounding like an amateur.
As a former fan fiction editor and proofreader, I was immediately drawn to this book, because I couldn’t emphasize enough to writers how important it was to make their stories believable. Fantasy or otherwise, if the reader doesn’t buy into your story, they’re not going to stick with your book. I have stopped reading books on occasion, because I found incorrect information too glaring to read any further.
I would highly recommend this book to all fiction writers as an essential guide to help them enhance their writing and world-building. While not all the topics featured will appeal to every writer, I found the variety to be compelling enough for any fiction writer to take some useful insight away from this book.
As a former fan fiction editor and proofreader, I was immediately drawn to this book, because I couldn’t emphasize enough to writers how important it was to make their stories believable. Fantasy or otherwise, if the reader doesn’t buy into your story, they’re not going to stick with your book. I have stopped reading books on occasion, because I found incorrect information too glaring to read any further.
I would highly recommend this book to all fiction writers as an essential guide to help them enhance their writing and world-building. While not all the topics featured will appeal to every writer, I found the variety to be compelling enough for any fiction writer to take some useful insight away from this book.
February 8, 2022
I enjoyed this book. Most of these snappy essays were excellent; well-written and with lots of humor. The authors’ enthusiasm comes through in all the essays. The book is divided into six parts. The best parts for me were Parts 1 (about history), 2 (about language and culture), 3 (about world-building), and 6 (about adventures). Part 4 (about weapons and warfare) did not have the same tone as the rest of the book and the subject matter did not appeal to me. I didn’t finish most of the essays here. Part 5 (about horses) was quite good. Overall, two essays stood out from all the others: “Archaeology in Science Fiction and Fantasy” by Graeme K. Talboys with just the right amount of information, humor and sarcasm; and “Writing Realistic Forests” by Terry Newman. I also enjoyed thinking about the reality of our world and how the essays still apply, especially the ones that involve science. Editor Dan Koboldt deserves credit for putting together such a great anthology. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House, Writer's Digest Books for the advance reader copy.
May 2, 2022
Putting the Fact in Fantasy is a great resource for aspiring and current authors wanting to learn more about the creation of a fantasy world. I, not an author and not a fantasy reader, was intrigued to see if there were any secrets I could uncover that left me with a greater appreciation of the genre. I think this book did its job!
There are large overarching themes of a fantasy novel (world-building, language, history of your work's time period) that are broken down into hyperspecific short sections. You could in theory read the one or two chapters that concern you and your writing if you wanted. Most of these sections left me with more questions I'd be interested in researching. The best part of it all is each author provides their sources or additional. reading suggestions if you wanted to delve deeper into a topic.
I believe this is a must-read for anyone writing fantasy, not just high fantasy. Good luck out there to all the future authors of fantasy novels. Take Scott Lynch's advice from the forward: read this so you can learn how to screw up better.
There are large overarching themes of a fantasy novel (world-building, language, history of your work's time period) that are broken down into hyperspecific short sections. You could in theory read the one or two chapters that concern you and your writing if you wanted. Most of these sections left me with more questions I'd be interested in researching. The best part of it all is each author provides their sources or additional. reading suggestions if you wanted to delve deeper into a topic.
I believe this is a must-read for anyone writing fantasy, not just high fantasy. Good luck out there to all the future authors of fantasy novels. Take Scott Lynch's advice from the forward: read this so you can learn how to screw up better.
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