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Wyngraf Issue #1
Fantasy fans, curl up and stay a while!
At last, cozy fantasy has a magazine all its own. Wyngraf #1 offers nine snug stories in the tradition of Redwall and The Hobbit. Go there and back again with lush settings, caring characters, and dragons of all sizes.
Contents
“The Perils of Living with Your Human” by Nathan Slemp. Carath wants to smooth things over between his rider and her sister, but can a dragon understand human families?
“The Road to Fjallmark” by Natasha Inwood. When a terrible blizzard hits the mountains, Scholar Neea and her apprentice Pim put their lives in strange hands.
“What We Buried” by J.A. Prentice. How can Ash save his father's dwarven friends when he can't even cast a basic spell?
“Your Own Beeswax” by Dan Crawford. Everyone wants the Vanagh's treasure except Polijn the minstrel, but things aren't what they seem in the Sacred Grove.
“Weaving Serenity” by Amanda Cook. The queen needs Calmers, but Eloise of Leafside is retired. Of course, her teenage daughter isn't...
“Vigil” by Nathaniel Webb. For Cadet Messenger Faining Mores, taking a job at the end of the world requires leaving home and friendship behind—but refusing means abandoning the career she loves.
“Dragonsmith” by Angelica Fiori. Garrett the blacksmith wants to revive his family's traditions. But smithing isn't so simple when there's magic involved!
“A Petrified Heart” by Katherine Quevedo. When wood fairy Raya accidentally offends the cruel queen of the seashore, she begins a quest that will change her and her people forever.
“Epilogue” by Rajiv Moté. Historian Sajun hasn't seen the sorceress Tankrit since the War for the Light ended twenty years ago. Do bonds forged in battle last, or is the magic gone?
At last, cozy fantasy has a magazine all its own. Wyngraf #1 offers nine snug stories in the tradition of Redwall and The Hobbit. Go there and back again with lush settings, caring characters, and dragons of all sizes.
Contents
“The Perils of Living with Your Human” by Nathan Slemp. Carath wants to smooth things over between his rider and her sister, but can a dragon understand human families?
“The Road to Fjallmark” by Natasha Inwood. When a terrible blizzard hits the mountains, Scholar Neea and her apprentice Pim put their lives in strange hands.
“What We Buried” by J.A. Prentice. How can Ash save his father's dwarven friends when he can't even cast a basic spell?
“Your Own Beeswax” by Dan Crawford. Everyone wants the Vanagh's treasure except Polijn the minstrel, but things aren't what they seem in the Sacred Grove.
“Weaving Serenity” by Amanda Cook. The queen needs Calmers, but Eloise of Leafside is retired. Of course, her teenage daughter isn't...
“Vigil” by Nathaniel Webb. For Cadet Messenger Faining Mores, taking a job at the end of the world requires leaving home and friendship behind—but refusing means abandoning the career she loves.
“Dragonsmith” by Angelica Fiori. Garrett the blacksmith wants to revive his family's traditions. But smithing isn't so simple when there's magic involved!
“A Petrified Heart” by Katherine Quevedo. When wood fairy Raya accidentally offends the cruel queen of the seashore, she begins a quest that will change her and her people forever.
“Epilogue” by Rajiv Moté. Historian Sajun hasn't seen the sorceress Tankrit since the War for the Light ended twenty years ago. Do bonds forged in battle last, or is the magic gone?
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2022
12 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Nathaniel Webb
33 books21 followersNathaniel "Nat20" Webb is an author and musician from Maine. His writing includes the novels Bard City Blues and A Conventional Murder and the bestselling music biography Marillion in the 1980s. He is the editor of Wyngraf, the magazine of cozy fantasy.
As a lead guitarist, he toured and recorded with numerous acts including Grammy-nominated singers Beth Hart and Jana Mashonee and Colombian pop star Marre.
Nathaniel lives with his family under a massive pile of cats. He can be found on Twitter at @nat20w and Bluesky at @nat20.bsky.social, where he mostly talks about games, writing, and obscure 80s rock bands.
As a lead guitarist, he toured and recorded with numerous acts including Grammy-nominated singers Beth Hart and Jana Mashonee and Colombian pop star Marre.
Nathaniel lives with his family under a massive pile of cats. He can be found on Twitter at @nat20w and Bluesky at @nat20.bsky.social, where he mostly talks about games, writing, and obscure 80s rock bands.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 20, 2022
Well worth it
Welp, I’m hooked.
I’ve had mixed results with short story collections like this in the past. Some are mostly fine, some are just really not great, so I was a bit hesitant when I came across Wyngraf, but it had a cool cover, an interesting name, and a theme behind it that really intrigued me. A whole collection of fantasy stories that center around hopeful comfort.
I’ve never really seen another collection that has this kind of focus and it was exactly what I was looking for. It’s been a rough few years for me and I’ve been craving comfort food books as of late, so I went ahead and picked it up.
I’m really glad I did.
Wow, there are some skilled authors in this thing!
Each story has really cool world building sprinkled in here and there, but never too much as to make it overly exposition-y. I really connected with a lot with the characters and felt really invested in their journeys (although that just makes it all the harder when these SHORT stories are done).
There is a sense of hopefulness that infuses everything, but not a sickly sweet “a hug will make everything better” kind of hope. There are moments that delve into grief and sadness; these stories are not afraid to go into heavier emotions, but it’s never with a “life is pain and that’s just the way it is” attitude, more of a “Life can be painful and hard, but there is always hope” kind of thing.
The writing it’s self if pretty well done, there were a few spots where I think the editing could have a been a bit better, but those were few and far between.
Not all the stories captured me quite as well, there were one or two and didn’t come together quite as well as the rest in my opinion, BUT even the ones that didn’t grab me as much were still at the minimum entertaining.
Though they are meant to be short stories, some of them I feel could have had a little more room to breathe, but that’s just my opinion.
Over all I’m so glad I picked this up.
I really appreciate the point that Wyngraf makes on their website; (I’m paraphrasing here) there is definitely a place for stories that challenge you (and society) to change, or one’s that deeply explore pain and suffering, but there is also a time and place for stories about comfort, stories about hope, stories that heal.
Wyngraf has been that for me.
So if you’re in any way interested in this, I say go ahead and pick it up, I think it will be worth it.
I eagerly look forward to what they do next!
Welp, I’m hooked.
I’ve had mixed results with short story collections like this in the past. Some are mostly fine, some are just really not great, so I was a bit hesitant when I came across Wyngraf, but it had a cool cover, an interesting name, and a theme behind it that really intrigued me. A whole collection of fantasy stories that center around hopeful comfort.
I’ve never really seen another collection that has this kind of focus and it was exactly what I was looking for. It’s been a rough few years for me and I’ve been craving comfort food books as of late, so I went ahead and picked it up.
I’m really glad I did.
Wow, there are some skilled authors in this thing!
Each story has really cool world building sprinkled in here and there, but never too much as to make it overly exposition-y. I really connected with a lot with the characters and felt really invested in their journeys (although that just makes it all the harder when these SHORT stories are done).
There is a sense of hopefulness that infuses everything, but not a sickly sweet “a hug will make everything better” kind of hope. There are moments that delve into grief and sadness; these stories are not afraid to go into heavier emotions, but it’s never with a “life is pain and that’s just the way it is” attitude, more of a “Life can be painful and hard, but there is always hope” kind of thing.
The writing it’s self if pretty well done, there were a few spots where I think the editing could have a been a bit better, but those were few and far between.
Not all the stories captured me quite as well, there were one or two and didn’t come together quite as well as the rest in my opinion, BUT even the ones that didn’t grab me as much were still at the minimum entertaining.
Though they are meant to be short stories, some of them I feel could have had a little more room to breathe, but that’s just my opinion.
Over all I’m so glad I picked this up.
I really appreciate the point that Wyngraf makes on their website; (I’m paraphrasing here) there is definitely a place for stories that challenge you (and society) to change, or one’s that deeply explore pain and suffering, but there is also a time and place for stories about comfort, stories about hope, stories that heal.
Wyngraf has been that for me.
So if you’re in any way interested in this, I say go ahead and pick it up, I think it will be worth it.
I eagerly look forward to what they do next!
June 20, 2022
I’m new to the term ‘cozy’ fantasy but like editor much of my childhood reading was informed by the Hobbit and Redwall. This anthology is a nice escape if you’re looking something light hearted to read and need a break from life. Maybe you won’t find each story necessarily cozy but they’re all cathartic in their own way.
There are two stories about dragons I very much enjoyed. The one about fairies was incredibly imaginative, had an amazing sense of tension and was just wondrous. It was my favorite of the bunch. Though I wouldn’t exactly call it cozy. It’s a heck of a story and worth picking up the magazine for on its own.
The final story Epilogue very much fit its title. It was deeply cathartic and for some reason felt like an ‘epilogue’ to Howard Andrew Jones’ Ringsworn trilogy that never was.
This is something different and I’m excited to see where the publication goes next.
There are two stories about dragons I very much enjoyed. The one about fairies was incredibly imaginative, had an amazing sense of tension and was just wondrous. It was my favorite of the bunch. Though I wouldn’t exactly call it cozy. It’s a heck of a story and worth picking up the magazine for on its own.
The final story Epilogue very much fit its title. It was deeply cathartic and for some reason felt like an ‘epilogue’ to Howard Andrew Jones’ Ringsworn trilogy that never was.
This is something different and I’m excited to see where the publication goes next.
December 4, 2022
Wyngraf vol 1 is an anthology of “cozy” fantasy stories-this is the first I’ve heard of that term, and after reading the introduction which offers a few fluffy definitions on the genre, I’d wager it’s a sort of antithecal reaction to such dark fantasy as game of thrones: here the world of the fantastic is explored, safely, in comfort. Rather than being offered up random brutality and sexuality, we instead see scenes of familial joy and friendship, friendship, sorority, and community, United by the endless wonder of our greatest imaginings? Not sure if my definition is on, but hopefully I am in the ball park. In any event, the editor in the intro mentions that cozy fantasy often depicts slice of life fiction, which I and my friends had a hardy disdain for in my college creative writing days, but find myself enjoying more so as I age.
Enough on definitions then: let’s explore the stories and see where our journeys go . . .
“The Perils of Living with your Human” begins with vague dreams of reptilian flying with one’s father (which reminded me of one of the first stories I ever typed, though mine regarded dinosaurs and not dragons), having small talk and just being with one’s parent followed by the realization that the protagonists father has recently passed away-who hasn’t dreamed of having one more conversation with a dear, departed loved one? And cast amidst the back drop of flying and being a dragon-who wouldn’t feel a connection here? So a very strong start to the tale.
As the story progresses we are given repeated key notes of madness and family and bonds, against a back drop of a somewhat weary bridging of communities between dragons and humans. While the intrigant drops are rather blatant, that’s just fine-we are still left with a story of two communities trying to get used to one another after recent tragic events. The dragons remind me a bit of dwarves or of other high fantasy out groups, with a sort of spunky culture rife with amusement.
Overall, aside from all that it felt sort of like a teen drama-sort of step siblings getting used to living together. It’s a cute little tale-I probably wouldn’t advice reading this expecting Shakespear, but if your in the market for a brief, cute story it’s well enough.
“The Road to Fjallmark” continues the cozy trend, this time evoking shades of Tom Bombadil in a travel adventure of a scholar and her young charge. Here though weather changes may be sudden, there is a sense of excitement on the path actualized by the cave encounter.
“What We Buried” begins with a scene at least a little reminiscent of the start of the hobbit with sudden dwarven guests-I really like the descriptions of the dwarves, especially the lady dwarves, as in the typical patriarchal dwarven cultures of most fantasies Lady dwarves often become mere caricatures if even present: here the female dwarves sound authentic and still fit in with the image we have of high fantasy dwarves in the common cultural consciousness. The protagonists circumstance of losing a parent and left living in one’s parent’s world is no doubt familiar to most older adults and fits in well with the larger narrative, helping to set the tone and theme.
Overall, the narrative is nice with brief flairs of artistry that I found engaging, especially in regards to the landscape and traveling by boat into the under dark, I.e.
“The boat thudded against the stone walls. Ahead, a dim light showed on the water. Starlight forced its way through a rift in the stone, illuminating a drift of dust. Raindrops thundered as they struck the river. Above, the clouds had burst at last.
The boat swept on. Just before the last of the starlight faded away, Ash saw a face in the dark-his father’s face.”
Honestly, aside from a few moments where one wants to backhand the prot, it only gets better from there-I sort of feel like there are shades of Morison’s “Beloved” and Wei’s & Hickman’s Palin Majer in this tale. And in all our contemporary lives, with its 24/7 doom cycle and our personal losses, no doubt more than a few of us have something like survivor’s guilt, so it’s a good story for everyone to read.
“Your Own Beeswax” presents an interesting situation that reminds me of random d&d or hack master adventure hooks-a bard enters a town she never had been to before to find the villagers all angrily shunning her. The only person who will talk to her, a well armed man, reveals that recently the bard was seen stealing the towns treasures and making the towns guardian spirits disappear-this is something the bard doesn’t remember at all. Intrigued? Well, I was too. Add to it that the guardians apparently are some sort of bee creatures that can be defeated by music and that they turn people into statues and the strange name to the story starts to make sense. The character is interesting, being perhaps a bit of the archetype of the somewhat sly minstrels, and the writing was enjoyable; I.e. this diologue section:
“I saw the real Polijin: she’s tall and walks like wind chimes on a stormy day.”
“No, no, no. She was really small, with teeth like rusty daggers.”
What wonderful descriptions! It continues on as well, eventually reaching the statues:
“Polijin gestured to the statue of a minstrel whose mouth was open and filled with stagnant rain water. ‘Aren’t you afraid that will happen to you?’”
Some symboligical weight there, such that any writer or creative person has probably felt at one time or another.
In any event, this is one more enjoyable story in what seems a splendid little anthology-though I will confess to some vague confusion on some details of the plot, where I sort of wish the rules of the story world had been more plainly stated somewhere, and some details just don’t match up at the end-though that could just be me.
“Weaving Serenity” is a story about family, raising children, dragons, war, and magic-overall, it sort of felt like the story of a parent dealing with a child wanting to be a soldier, with a few fantasy twists of course.
“Vigil” was the next story. Within a few paragraphs in I was left with the linguistic query as to if something could be “faded into view” as this seems like the antithesis to faded, though the writer’s intent is still immediately apparent so that word order can be understood in the colloquial. Overall, this story took me a while to get into, but it was worth it once I did. The ending, with the symbolical underpinnings of the ghost work, nailed it for me, giving the story a healthy allegorical weight that was as sweet as fresh made bakery.
“Dragon smith” was a fun, cute little tale about memory and creation. Fairly child friendly, I sort of thought there was still some underlying romantic tension between our two main characters, though I might be wrong on that-if so, it only added to the tale, which is a delightful near zanny situation which as an amateur writer I can relate to-I think. Overall this is a fine selection for the anthology, cozy at its best!
“A Petrified Heart” is the black sheep of this anthology-while it has its moments and is enjoyable in its own way, I’d argue it’s more of a fairy tale (very literally, you’ll see!) than cozy fantasy by the definitions we were given. True, other stories in the anthology do have moments of danger too, but the whole business of stabbing people and bashing in heads…um, not so cozy, right? While the story depicts an interesting world and characters, it just doesn’t really fit so well.
“Epilogue” was the perfect capstone story. On the surface, it’s a sort of “Odysseus returns home after the odyssey” only with high fantasy characters and a romantic twist that was fantastic-something that I think any table top role player will enjoy if one has ever wondered what one’s characters do after the adventures are all done. However, there is a huge symbolical underpinning involving magic and life that made this so wonderful-bravo indeed!
In conclusion, it’s a strong, cute, cozy little anthology. I dare you-give it a try: four out of five black smithed dragons.
P.s. forgot to mention the wonderful cover-total shades of “Bannersaga” and “Wyldermyth”-love it!
Enough on definitions then: let’s explore the stories and see where our journeys go . . .
“The Perils of Living with your Human” begins with vague dreams of reptilian flying with one’s father (which reminded me of one of the first stories I ever typed, though mine regarded dinosaurs and not dragons), having small talk and just being with one’s parent followed by the realization that the protagonists father has recently passed away-who hasn’t dreamed of having one more conversation with a dear, departed loved one? And cast amidst the back drop of flying and being a dragon-who wouldn’t feel a connection here? So a very strong start to the tale.
As the story progresses we are given repeated key notes of madness and family and bonds, against a back drop of a somewhat weary bridging of communities between dragons and humans. While the intrigant drops are rather blatant, that’s just fine-we are still left with a story of two communities trying to get used to one another after recent tragic events. The dragons remind me a bit of dwarves or of other high fantasy out groups, with a sort of spunky culture rife with amusement.
Overall, aside from all that it felt sort of like a teen drama-sort of step siblings getting used to living together. It’s a cute little tale-I probably wouldn’t advice reading this expecting Shakespear, but if your in the market for a brief, cute story it’s well enough.
“The Road to Fjallmark” continues the cozy trend, this time evoking shades of Tom Bombadil in a travel adventure of a scholar and her young charge. Here though weather changes may be sudden, there is a sense of excitement on the path actualized by the cave encounter.
“What We Buried” begins with a scene at least a little reminiscent of the start of the hobbit with sudden dwarven guests-I really like the descriptions of the dwarves, especially the lady dwarves, as in the typical patriarchal dwarven cultures of most fantasies Lady dwarves often become mere caricatures if even present: here the female dwarves sound authentic and still fit in with the image we have of high fantasy dwarves in the common cultural consciousness. The protagonists circumstance of losing a parent and left living in one’s parent’s world is no doubt familiar to most older adults and fits in well with the larger narrative, helping to set the tone and theme.
Overall, the narrative is nice with brief flairs of artistry that I found engaging, especially in regards to the landscape and traveling by boat into the under dark, I.e.
“The boat thudded against the stone walls. Ahead, a dim light showed on the water. Starlight forced its way through a rift in the stone, illuminating a drift of dust. Raindrops thundered as they struck the river. Above, the clouds had burst at last.
The boat swept on. Just before the last of the starlight faded away, Ash saw a face in the dark-his father’s face.”
Honestly, aside from a few moments where one wants to backhand the prot, it only gets better from there-I sort of feel like there are shades of Morison’s “Beloved” and Wei’s & Hickman’s Palin Majer in this tale. And in all our contemporary lives, with its 24/7 doom cycle and our personal losses, no doubt more than a few of us have something like survivor’s guilt, so it’s a good story for everyone to read.
“Your Own Beeswax” presents an interesting situation that reminds me of random d&d or hack master adventure hooks-a bard enters a town she never had been to before to find the villagers all angrily shunning her. The only person who will talk to her, a well armed man, reveals that recently the bard was seen stealing the towns treasures and making the towns guardian spirits disappear-this is something the bard doesn’t remember at all. Intrigued? Well, I was too. Add to it that the guardians apparently are some sort of bee creatures that can be defeated by music and that they turn people into statues and the strange name to the story starts to make sense. The character is interesting, being perhaps a bit of the archetype of the somewhat sly minstrels, and the writing was enjoyable; I.e. this diologue section:
“I saw the real Polijin: she’s tall and walks like wind chimes on a stormy day.”
“No, no, no. She was really small, with teeth like rusty daggers.”
What wonderful descriptions! It continues on as well, eventually reaching the statues:
“Polijin gestured to the statue of a minstrel whose mouth was open and filled with stagnant rain water. ‘Aren’t you afraid that will happen to you?’”
Some symboligical weight there, such that any writer or creative person has probably felt at one time or another.
In any event, this is one more enjoyable story in what seems a splendid little anthology-though I will confess to some vague confusion on some details of the plot, where I sort of wish the rules of the story world had been more plainly stated somewhere, and some details just don’t match up at the end-though that could just be me.
“Weaving Serenity” is a story about family, raising children, dragons, war, and magic-overall, it sort of felt like the story of a parent dealing with a child wanting to be a soldier, with a few fantasy twists of course.
“Vigil” was the next story. Within a few paragraphs in I was left with the linguistic query as to if something could be “faded into view” as this seems like the antithesis to faded, though the writer’s intent is still immediately apparent so that word order can be understood in the colloquial. Overall, this story took me a while to get into, but it was worth it once I did. The ending, with the symbolical underpinnings of the ghost work, nailed it for me, giving the story a healthy allegorical weight that was as sweet as fresh made bakery.
“Dragon smith” was a fun, cute little tale about memory and creation. Fairly child friendly, I sort of thought there was still some underlying romantic tension between our two main characters, though I might be wrong on that-if so, it only added to the tale, which is a delightful near zanny situation which as an amateur writer I can relate to-I think. Overall this is a fine selection for the anthology, cozy at its best!
“A Petrified Heart” is the black sheep of this anthology-while it has its moments and is enjoyable in its own way, I’d argue it’s more of a fairy tale (very literally, you’ll see!) than cozy fantasy by the definitions we were given. True, other stories in the anthology do have moments of danger too, but the whole business of stabbing people and bashing in heads…um, not so cozy, right? While the story depicts an interesting world and characters, it just doesn’t really fit so well.
“Epilogue” was the perfect capstone story. On the surface, it’s a sort of “Odysseus returns home after the odyssey” only with high fantasy characters and a romantic twist that was fantastic-something that I think any table top role player will enjoy if one has ever wondered what one’s characters do after the adventures are all done. However, there is a huge symbolical underpinning involving magic and life that made this so wonderful-bravo indeed!
In conclusion, it’s a strong, cute, cozy little anthology. I dare you-give it a try: four out of five black smithed dragons.
P.s. forgot to mention the wonderful cover-total shades of “Bannersaga” and “Wyldermyth”-love it!
May 8, 2022
A Respite In Cozy Tales
DISCLAIMER: I have a story in this collection.
These tales are, by design, low-conflict (if not always low-stakes). There are problems to be solved, even enemies to confront. But they revel in comforts and relationships, beauty, craft, and good food and drink. I think the most interesting thing about this sub-genre, and these stories in particular, is that the world-building is not in service to a plot, but is done as an end in itself, for the delight of bringing backstory, places, magic, and beings into existence.
The Perils of Living With Your Human has a rich, complex society where humans and dragons comingle.
The Road to Fjallmark is a journey into the wilds where perhaps the dangers of straying from the path may really be rewards.
What We Buried is a high fantasy quest with a reluctant protagonist and a monster in the dark.
Your Own Beeswax is a trippy caper against supernatural forces.
Weaving Serenity is has a mother making a choice between keeping her daughter safe, and finding her potential.
Vigil shows a magical side to the profession of messenger.
Dragonsmith unites craftsmanship with magic to create the most adorable constructs.
A Petrified Heart ponders how to handle a curse: break it, or smooth it over?
And my story, Epilogue, looks at two characters who, twenty years after their epic fantasy adventure ended, still struggle to move on.
DISCLAIMER: I have a story in this collection.
These tales are, by design, low-conflict (if not always low-stakes). There are problems to be solved, even enemies to confront. But they revel in comforts and relationships, beauty, craft, and good food and drink. I think the most interesting thing about this sub-genre, and these stories in particular, is that the world-building is not in service to a plot, but is done as an end in itself, for the delight of bringing backstory, places, magic, and beings into existence.
The Perils of Living With Your Human has a rich, complex society where humans and dragons comingle.
The Road to Fjallmark is a journey into the wilds where perhaps the dangers of straying from the path may really be rewards.
What We Buried is a high fantasy quest with a reluctant protagonist and a monster in the dark.
Your Own Beeswax is a trippy caper against supernatural forces.
Weaving Serenity is has a mother making a choice between keeping her daughter safe, and finding her potential.
Vigil shows a magical side to the profession of messenger.
Dragonsmith unites craftsmanship with magic to create the most adorable constructs.
A Petrified Heart ponders how to handle a curse: break it, or smooth it over?
And my story, Epilogue, looks at two characters who, twenty years after their epic fantasy adventure ended, still struggle to move on.
October 2, 2022
Curious about cozy fantasy? Wyngraf is your go-to resource!
Cozy fantasy is a small genre that has been picking up traction recently. You know it from comforting stories and movies you read and watch when the world seems a bit too tough, too big, too complicated. You curl inside a story with a thick blanket and a warm cup. That is cozy fantasy. Now that the genre has a specific name and loose set of rules/tropes-- where do you start reading it with intention? At Wyngraf!
Wyngraf does a great job of curating a collection of short stories that showcase many levels of cozy fantasy. From backpacking adventure, to hearth, community, and even life after epic adventuring, Wyngraf highlights the many avenues cozy fantasy can take. This is a great magazine for those wanting to find out more about the genre and those that know it and want more.
If you're intrigued by the genre and want to know more, or you know the genre and want more content, this magazine can offer you both. The stories included in the first issue are cozy at different levels but any fantasy lover would find them a delight to read. Their introduction into the magazine also does a wonderful job of describing the emerging genre for those unsure if it's for them.
I'm excited to read more issues from Wyngraf and look forward to where this new genre of low stakes, comfort fantasy will take us.
Cozy fantasy is a small genre that has been picking up traction recently. You know it from comforting stories and movies you read and watch when the world seems a bit too tough, too big, too complicated. You curl inside a story with a thick blanket and a warm cup. That is cozy fantasy. Now that the genre has a specific name and loose set of rules/tropes-- where do you start reading it with intention? At Wyngraf!
Wyngraf does a great job of curating a collection of short stories that showcase many levels of cozy fantasy. From backpacking adventure, to hearth, community, and even life after epic adventuring, Wyngraf highlights the many avenues cozy fantasy can take. This is a great magazine for those wanting to find out more about the genre and those that know it and want more.
If you're intrigued by the genre and want to know more, or you know the genre and want more content, this magazine can offer you both. The stories included in the first issue are cozy at different levels but any fantasy lover would find them a delight to read. Their introduction into the magazine also does a wonderful job of describing the emerging genre for those unsure if it's for them.
I'm excited to read more issues from Wyngraf and look forward to where this new genre of low stakes, comfort fantasy will take us.
December 18, 2022
3.5/5 Stars Rounded to 4 Stars
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A self-published cozy fantasy magazine series featuring a collection of short stories. Volume 1 presents nine short stories by a variety of authors. Each one bringing through a different view of “cozy” within their stories. As everyone’s definition of cozy may vary, the variety within Wyngraf will have something for everyone.
Within Vol. 1 there are many themes explored from friendship, romance, adventure, family, and change. You’ll also find stories with travel, unique magic, dragons, Fairies, Dwarves, action, found family and the mysteries of legends.
While I found most of the stories to be cozy, there were some that didn’t quite hit that “cozy” vibe. I think part of this was a combination of choices in prose and storytelling methods that didn’t work for me.
However, there were stories I would like to see more exploration of the characters and worlds from the authors. Of course, this might defeat the purpose of a short story but there were interesting aspects I’d love to see more of.
There were many stories I found to be endearing, between the characters developments and the circumstances they go through. By the end of reading Wyngraf (Vol. 1) I was left with a wholesome feeling and found new authors to follow.
Some of my favourites:
- The Perils of Living with your Human by Nathan Slemp
- What We Buried by J. A. Prentice
- Weaving Serenity by Amanda Cook
- Vigil by Nathaniel Webb
- Dragonsmith by Angelica Fiori
Wyngraf is the start of something exciting with more cozy stories in sight as the magazine continues with Volume 2. I look forward to coming back to these stories and the new issues to come.
A fun, cozy and entertaining read for fantasy readers.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A self-published cozy fantasy magazine series featuring a collection of short stories. Volume 1 presents nine short stories by a variety of authors. Each one bringing through a different view of “cozy” within their stories. As everyone’s definition of cozy may vary, the variety within Wyngraf will have something for everyone.
Within Vol. 1 there are many themes explored from friendship, romance, adventure, family, and change. You’ll also find stories with travel, unique magic, dragons, Fairies, Dwarves, action, found family and the mysteries of legends.
While I found most of the stories to be cozy, there were some that didn’t quite hit that “cozy” vibe. I think part of this was a combination of choices in prose and storytelling methods that didn’t work for me.
However, there were stories I would like to see more exploration of the characters and worlds from the authors. Of course, this might defeat the purpose of a short story but there were interesting aspects I’d love to see more of.
There were many stories I found to be endearing, between the characters developments and the circumstances they go through. By the end of reading Wyngraf (Vol. 1) I was left with a wholesome feeling and found new authors to follow.
Some of my favourites:
- The Perils of Living with your Human by Nathan Slemp
- What We Buried by J. A. Prentice
- Weaving Serenity by Amanda Cook
- Vigil by Nathaniel Webb
- Dragonsmith by Angelica Fiori
Wyngraf is the start of something exciting with more cozy stories in sight as the magazine continues with Volume 2. I look forward to coming back to these stories and the new issues to come.
A fun, cozy and entertaining read for fantasy readers.
January 30, 2023
Wyngraf: Volume 1, 3.25/5
"The Perils of Living with Your Human" by Nathan Slemp, 3/5
"The Road to Fjallmark" by Natasha Inwood, 3.5/5
"What We Buried" by J.A. Prentice, 4/5
"Your Own Beeswax" by Dan Crawford, 2/5
"Weaving Serenity" by Amanda Cook, 1.5/5
"Vigil" by Nathaniel Webb, 4.5/5
"Dragonsmith" by Angelica Fiori, 4/5
"A Petrified Heart" by Katherine Quevedo, 2.5/5
"Epilogue" by Rajiv Moté, 5/5
"The Perils of Living with Your Human" by Nathan Slemp, 3/5
"The Road to Fjallmark" by Natasha Inwood, 3.5/5
"What We Buried" by J.A. Prentice, 4/5
"Your Own Beeswax" by Dan Crawford, 2/5
"Weaving Serenity" by Amanda Cook, 1.5/5
"Vigil" by Nathaniel Webb, 4.5/5
"Dragonsmith" by Angelica Fiori, 4/5
"A Petrified Heart" by Katherine Quevedo, 2.5/5
"Epilogue" by Rajiv Moté, 5/5
May 22, 2023
Sweater Weather book club pick for May!
As with many anthologies, this volume is a mixed bag. "Vigil" is far and away my favorite story in this collection, with "Dragonsmith" coming in second. Both authors brilliantly craft cozy stories that are compelling and striking to the imagination, blending slice of life and personal stakes with a touch of fantasy.
Many of the other stories are not so successful. Some are simply a little befuddled, the product of inexperienced authors. Others have cozy elements that are catastrophically outweighed by other parts of the stories
I love the idea of this magazine and I'm happy it exists!
As with many anthologies, this volume is a mixed bag. "Vigil" is far and away my favorite story in this collection, with "Dragonsmith" coming in second. Both authors brilliantly craft cozy stories that are compelling and striking to the imagination, blending slice of life and personal stakes with a touch of fantasy.
Many of the other stories are not so successful. Some are simply a little befuddled, the product of inexperienced authors. Others have cozy elements that are catastrophically outweighed by other parts of the stories
I love the idea of this magazine and I'm happy it exists!
June 7, 2022
What a delightful first volume of cozy fantasy stories.! My favorites included Vigil, The Road to Fjallmark, A Petrified Heart, and What We Buried.
But to be honest, all the stories were solid. A place to get immersed in another world but yet not be overwhelmed by darkness. Things happen and matter but it's not the grim doom of the end of the world.
Nat Webb and his group at Wyngraf have produced a stunning debut of delightful tales that are sure to refresh and amaze you with magic and wonder while at the same time having you home in time for tea and to be tucked snugly in bed.
Great stuff.
But to be honest, all the stories were solid. A place to get immersed in another world but yet not be overwhelmed by darkness. Things happen and matter but it's not the grim doom of the end of the world.
Nat Webb and his group at Wyngraf have produced a stunning debut of delightful tales that are sure to refresh and amaze you with magic and wonder while at the same time having you home in time for tea and to be tucked snugly in bed.
Great stuff.
August 17, 2023
7.75/10 based on all the scores for each story.
My top 3 favorites in here are as followed
Vigil by Nathaniel Webb: I loved the tension involving the candle quest, as well as the beautifully described imagery. This story is how to tell an engaging fantasy story in a short span of pages. I felt engaged with the protagonist based on their motivations and determination displayed in the story. Also the Ghostwork magic system was quite an interesting concept in terms of how it allowed the protagonist to get to see where buildings used to be. The magic system was well applied in the creation of a fun little twist toward the end of the tale. My only nitpick was that said twist made the tension of the story loosen more than maybe it could have. Otherwise this is a 9.5/10 story! I’ll be checking out more of Webb’s work down the road.
A Petrified Heart by Katherine Quevedo: Never have I loved a short story so much, yet thought it to be out of place in the grander scheme of the anthology. However, the character work was really well done, especially in regards to the sea queen and her personality. The plot line was really well paced,with stakes that I thought to be quite original alongside some beautifully drawn out imagery (a prevalent thing across the board with all stories in this anthology). The last bit of the story dropped my jaw in terms of all the bloody imagery described on the page. It made me squirm in my seat to read that bit. It was so well done yet so out of place in terms of what I would think in terms of what a cozy anthology is. Still, I’m very happy that I read this. 9/10.
What We Buried by J.A Prentice: A coming of age story with dwarves? Sign me up! This was such a wonderful tale about a person trying to meet great expectations set by role models held in high regard. I related to this aspect of the story the most and this in turn made me connect with Ash the most out of any protagonist in this anthology. My only nitpick is that Ash’s progression of his magical ability felt a bit fast to me. But that’s a consequence of this story’s form. I wouldn’t mind seeing this story expanded into a novella personally. 9/10
Overall, give this collection a shot! Across all these stories, the relaxing vibes were strong. This magazine came at a perfect time for me to read. I will be revisiting some of the stories down the road as well as be picking up future issues of Wyngraf!
My top 3 favorites in here are as followed
Vigil by Nathaniel Webb: I loved the tension involving the candle quest, as well as the beautifully described imagery. This story is how to tell an engaging fantasy story in a short span of pages. I felt engaged with the protagonist based on their motivations and determination displayed in the story. Also the Ghostwork magic system was quite an interesting concept in terms of how it allowed the protagonist to get to see where buildings used to be. The magic system was well applied in the creation of a fun little twist toward the end of the tale. My only nitpick was that said twist made the tension of the story loosen more than maybe it could have. Otherwise this is a 9.5/10 story! I’ll be checking out more of Webb’s work down the road.
A Petrified Heart by Katherine Quevedo: Never have I loved a short story so much, yet thought it to be out of place in the grander scheme of the anthology. However, the character work was really well done, especially in regards to the sea queen and her personality. The plot line was really well paced,with stakes that I thought to be quite original alongside some beautifully drawn out imagery (a prevalent thing across the board with all stories in this anthology). The last bit of the story dropped my jaw in terms of all the bloody imagery described on the page. It made me squirm in my seat to read that bit. It was so well done yet so out of place in terms of what I would think in terms of what a cozy anthology is. Still, I’m very happy that I read this. 9/10.
What We Buried by J.A Prentice: A coming of age story with dwarves? Sign me up! This was such a wonderful tale about a person trying to meet great expectations set by role models held in high regard. I related to this aspect of the story the most and this in turn made me connect with Ash the most out of any protagonist in this anthology. My only nitpick is that Ash’s progression of his magical ability felt a bit fast to me. But that’s a consequence of this story’s form. I wouldn’t mind seeing this story expanded into a novella personally. 9/10
Overall, give this collection a shot! Across all these stories, the relaxing vibes were strong. This magazine came at a perfect time for me to read. I will be revisiting some of the stories down the road as well as be picking up future issues of Wyngraf!
June 27, 2022
I used to enjoy reading short story collection, especially those by Isaac Asimov and Jeffrey Archer. However, I've been dreading this bingo square for the past two years. I don't mind reading a companion collection to an existing series (for example, "The Traveler's Gate Chronicles"), but reading short fantasy stories just doesn't seem appealing for me, especially if they are based around dark and heavy themes.
So, when I got to know about a cozy fantasy collection last month, I was relieved. While not all the stories in Wyngraf fit my definition of cozy, I did have an easier time reading this collection.
My favorite was "Dragonsmith" by far — the characters, the whimsical nature of magic and the plot (a smith making toys for a festival) hit all the right notes for me. "Vigil" was my next favorite (a cadet taking the test for a messenger job, which conflicted with the desire to stay with her friend) — loved the magic, reminded me a bit of "City of Stairs".
Some of the stories felt like a novella compressed to a short story. That's probably one of the reasons I don't go out of my way seeking short stories to read these days.
You can check out https://wyngraf.com/ for free short stories.
So, when I got to know about a cozy fantasy collection last month, I was relieved. While not all the stories in Wyngraf fit my definition of cozy, I did have an easier time reading this collection.
My favorite was "Dragonsmith" by far — the characters, the whimsical nature of magic and the plot (a smith making toys for a festival) hit all the right notes for me. "Vigil" was my next favorite (a cadet taking the test for a messenger job, which conflicted with the desire to stay with her friend) — loved the magic, reminded me a bit of "City of Stairs".
Some of the stories felt like a novella compressed to a short story. That's probably one of the reasons I don't go out of my way seeking short stories to read these days.
You can check out https://wyngraf.com/ for free short stories.
December 30, 2022
My fave stories, for my own reference: “Vigil” by Nathaniel Webb; and “A Petrified Heart” by Katherine Quevedo.
January 1, 2023
Fave: 'What We Buried' by JA Prentice
May 6, 2023
I would say this would be a fantastic introduction to the cosy fantasy genre. A little taster I loved The Road To Fjallmark, What We Buried and Vigil.
July 6, 2023
A fabulous collection of mostly great short stories (some truly excellent). Looking forward to the next edition…
September 29, 2023
An absolute delight of a cozy anthology with several authors who should know by name. Get this now.
June 7, 2022
Adventures don’t always have to be epic, and this collection exemplifies that. With all the terrible things in the real world, quiet stories, calming stories, cozy stories are so needed.
July 27, 2022
A really nice collection of cozy stories flush with magical lands and creatures. Particulat standouts for me personally were:
Vigil, Nathaniel Webb
Your Own Beeswax, Dan Crawford
Dragonsmith, Angelica Fiori
A Petrified Heart, Katherin Quevedo
Vigil, Nathaniel Webb
Your Own Beeswax, Dan Crawford
Dragonsmith, Angelica Fiori
A Petrified Heart, Katherin Quevedo
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