Libros a Descargar Gratis

The Fantastic Made Visible

Autor: Matthew Wilhelm Kapell , Ace G. Pilkington

Número de Páginas: 250

Fantasy and science fiction began in print, and from the first films to the latest blockbusters, print stories have provided the inspirations, the ideas, and in some cases the detailed blueprints. Adaption Studies has long been an area of intense debate in literature and film studies, but no single work has ever approached fantasy and science fiction texts as unique and important areas of inquiry by themselves. The Fantastic Made Visible with 16 fresh essays is the first book to do exactly that. From the earliest adaptations of Jules Verne, Robert A. Heinlein, and Shakespeare to recent films based on The Hobbit, Planet of the Apes, and The Hunger Games, this book offers a wide range of critical approaches and films from around the world.

The New Watch

Autor: Sergei Lukyanenko

Número de Páginas: 418

Walking the streets of our cities are the Others. These men and women have access to the Twilight, a shadowy parallel world of magical power that exists alongside our own. Each has sworn allegiance to one side: the Light, or the Darkness. At Moscow airport, Higher Light Magician Anton Gorodetsky overhears a child screaming about a plane that is about to crash. He discovers that the child is a prophet: an Other with the gift of foretelling the future. When the catastrophe is averted, Gorodetsky senses a disruption in the natural order, one that is confirmed by the arrival of a dark and terrifying predator. Gorodetsky travels to London, to Taiwan and across Russia in search of clues, unearthing as he goes a series of increasingly cataclysmic prophecies. He soon realises that what is at stake is the existence of the Twilight itself – and that only he will be able to save it.

The Day Watch

Autor: Sergei Lukyanenko , Vladimir Vasiliev

Número de Páginas: 500

Walking the streets of Moscow, indistinguishable from the rest of its population, are The Others. Possessors of supernatural powers and capable of entering the Twilight, a shadowy world that exists in parallel to our own, each owes allegiance either to The Dark or The Light. In The Day Watch, second book of the Night Watch trilogy, Alice, a young but powerful Dark Other, attends a planning meeting with her comrades in the Day Watch. The team is on a mission to apprehend an uninitiated Other, a practicing Dark witch who has so far eluded the bureaux responsible for finding and initiating unlicensed practitioners of magic. It seems a routine operation. But when they arrive, the Night Watch team has already made the arrest. A fierce battle ensues, during which Alice almost dies. Drained of her powers, she is sent to recuperate at a youth camp near the Black Sea. There she meets Igor; the chemistry between them is instant and irresistible. But then comes a shattering realisation: Igor is a Light Mage. Suddenly Alice remembers him as one of those involved in the battle that left her crippled. Now that they know, there is no alternative to a magical duel, a battle that neither of them...

The Last Watch

Autor: Sergei Lukyanenko

Número de Páginas: 402

The Last Watch is the stunning sequel to the Night Watch trilogy, following the fortunes of the Others. Indistinguishable from normal people but possessed of supernatural powers and capable of entering the Twilight, a shadowy world that exists in parallel to our own, each Other owes allegiance either to the Dark, or to the Light... While on holiday in Scotland, visiting 'The Dungeons of Edinburgh', a young Russian tourist is murdered. As the police grapple with the fact that the cause of the young man's death was a massive loss of blood, the Watches are immediately aware that there is a renegade vampire on the loose. Anton - the hero of the Night Watch trilogy - is detailed to this seemingly mundane investigation, but begins to realise that there is much more to the story than a wildcat vampire and a single murder, and discovers that a team of unlicensed Others are hunting for a fabled magical treasure, hidden in the sixth level of the Twilight by Merlin himself...

By Blood We Live

Autor: John Joseph Adams

Número de Páginas: 975

From Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer; from Castlevania to Tru Blood, the romance between popular culture and vampires hearkens back to humanity's darkest, deepest fears, flowing through our very blood, fears of death, and life, and insatiable hunger. And yet, there is an attraction, undeniable, to the vampire archetype, whether the pale European count, impeccably dressed and coldly masculine, yet strangely ambiguous, ready to sink his sharp teeth deep into his victims' necks, draining or converting them, or the vamp, the count's feminine counterpart, villain and victim in one, using her wiles and icy sexuality to corrupt man and woman alike... Edited by John Joseph Adams (Wastelands, The Living Dead), By Blood We Live gathers together the best vampire literature of the last three decades from many of today's most renowned authors of fantasy, speculative fiction, and horror, including Stephen King, Joe Hill, Garth Nix, Neil Gaiman, Kelley Armstrong, Ken Macleod, Harry Turtledove, Carrie Vaughn, and Tad Williams.

The Spirit of Russian Literature

Autor: Pasquale De Marco

Número de Páginas: 168

"The Spirit of Russian Literature" is a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the rich literary heritage of Russia, written specifically for an American audience. This captivating volume takes readers on a journey through the centuries, from the early chronicles and religious texts to the towering works of the 19th-century giants and the experimental writings of the avant-garde. With accessible prose and insightful analysis, this book delves into the diverse influences that have shaped Russian literature, from the vast landscapes and intricate social dynamics of the Russian nation to the tumultuous events of its history. Readers will encounter unforgettable characters, witness pivotal historical moments, and gain a deeper understanding of the Russian soul. More than just a history of Russian literature, "The Spirit of Russian Literature" is an exploration of the human condition itself. Through the works of its greatest writers, Russian literature has given voice to the innermost thoughts, emotions, and aspirations of the Russian people. It has reflected their triumphs and tragedies, their hopes and despair, their dreams and disillusionments. This book invites readers to embark ...

Reflections of Eastern Tales: Unveiling the Hidden Gems of Oriental Literature

Autor: Pasquale De Marco

Número de Páginas: 172

Embark on an enthralling journey into the enchanting world of Eastern tales, where imagination knows no bounds and magic weaves its spell. Discover a literary tapestry adorned with timeless stories that have captivated hearts and minds for centuries. Within these pages, you will encounter a treasure trove of tales that transcend time and space, transporting you to distant lands and introducing you to a kaleidoscope of cultures and traditions. From the captivating fables of Aesop to the mesmerizing adventures of Scheherazade in The Thousand and One Nights, these stories have left an indelible mark on the world's literary landscape. Eastern tales offer a unique window into the rich cultural heritage of the East. Through these stories, you will gain insights into the values, beliefs, and customs of diverse societies, fostering a greater understanding and appreciation for the world's cultural tapestry. These tales are not mere entertainment; they are profound explorations of the human condition. They delve into universal themes of love, loss, identity, and the search for meaning, resonating with readers across cultures and generations. As you turn the pages of this book, you will...

Parent to Parent

Autor: B. Janine Fulla

Número de Páginas: 172

Planned Parenthood isn’t just about planning the right time in your life to have a child. It’s also about making choices regarding how you want to raise your child by understanding yourself, discovering your own coaching abilities, and developing a conscious map that allows for a few side excursions along the way. It’s about opening the drapes and letting the light in, taking deep breaths, and embracing all the sweet, inconvenient, laughable, stressful, playful ups and downs of this great adventure. At its heart, this book is a personal journey of raising children to be empowered, authentic and confident in themselves. It is about helping the parent engage in effective communication, teaching skills such as, leading your children to be responsible for their choices and actions and teaching them to trust their own intuitive signals along with, insights on breaking old parenting patterns. Parenting has changed dramatically since you were raised, and by the time you raise your children, it will dramatically change again. This is known as the Highway of Life and as such, there are times you will find the process... slow. Other times you will find the ride is going way too fast,...

Fictional Practice: Magic, Narration, and the Power of Imagination

Número de Páginas: 384

To what extent were practitioners of magic inspired by fictional accounts of their art? In how far did the daunting narratives surrounding legendary magicians such as Theophilus of Adana, Cyprianus of Antioch, Johann Georg Faust or Agrippa of Nettesheim rely on real-world events or practices? Fourteen original case studies present material from late antiquity to the twenty-first century and explore these questions in a systematic manner. By coining the notion of ‘fictional practice’, the editors discuss the emergence of novel, imaginative types of magic from the nineteenth century onwards when fiction and practice came to be more and more intertwined or even fully amalgamated. This is the first comparative study that systematically relates fiction and practice in the history of magic.

A History of Science Fiction Magazines: From the Golden Age to the New Wave

Autor: Pasquale De Marco

Número de Páginas: 153

From the ancient myths and legends of Greece and Rome to the modern-day tales of space travel and alien encounters, science fiction and fantasy have captured the imaginations of readers and viewers alike. This comprehensive history of the genres explores their origins, development, and impact on the human experience. The book begins with a look at the early roots of science fiction and fantasy in ancient mythology and folklore. It then traces the development of these genres in the 19th century, with the rise of the Gothic novel and the works of authors such as Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe. The 20th century saw a period of rapid growth and development for science fiction and fantasy. The rise of pulp magazines in the 1920s and 1930s provided a new outlet for these genres, and the works of authors such as Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and J.R.R. Tolkien helped to define the modern science fiction and fantasy landscape. The post-World War II era saw the emergence of new subgenres, such as cyberpunk and space opera, and the rise of science fiction and fantasy in television and film. Today, these genres are more popular than ever, with new works being published and produced every...

Gothic Topographies

Autor: Matti Savolainen

Número de Páginas: 282

In demonstrating the global reach of Gothic literatures, this collection takes up the influence of the Gothic mode in literatures that may be geographically remote from one another but still share related issues of minor languages, nation building, place and race. Suggesting that there is a parallel between certain motifs and themes found in the Gothic of the North (Scandinavia, Northern Europe and Canada) and South (Australia, South Africa and the US South), the essays explore the transgressions and confusion of borders and limits, whether they be linguistic, literary, generic, class-based, gendered or sexual. The volume includes essays on a wide diversity of authors and topics: Jan Potocki, Gustav Meyrink, William Godwin, Alan Hollinghurst, Marlene van Niekerk, John Richardson, antislavery discourse and the Gothic imagination, the Australian aboriginal Gothic, vampires of Post-Soviet Gothic society, Danish, Swedish and Finnish fiction and film, and the Canadian female Gothic and the death drive. What distinguishes this book from other collections on the Gothic is the coverage of themes and literatures that are either lacking in the mainstream research on the Gothic or are...

Dear Justin

Autor: Tylia Flores

Número de Páginas: 72

Justin, 16, is the protagonist of Dear Justin. Little who is not only born with spastic diplegia most common form of cerebral palsy. While visiting Justin, his step sister comes for her court ordered visitation with her father, and Justin is also struggling with obesity and finding friends. When she comes for her court ordered visitation with her father, he feels out of place until his step sister comes for her court ordered visitation with her father, who understands his sensitivity and ability to be human outside of his disability. During Justin's visit, she introduces him to Bianca, who also has Cerebral Palsy, and Justin's luck continues to improve as he now finds companionship and 16-year-old Bianka Flores, who has spastic diplegia and lives in Ronkonkoma, New York.

Red Star Tales

Autor: Yvonne Howell

Número de Páginas: 551

For over a century, most of the science fiction produced by the world’s largest country has been beyond the reach of Western readers. This new collection aims to change that, bringing a large body of influential works into the English orbit. A scientist keeps a severed head alive, and the head lives to tell the tale… An explorer experiences life on the moon, in a story written six decades before the first moon landing... Electrical appliances respond to human anxieties and threaten to crash the electrical grid… Archaeologists discover strange powers emanating from a Central Asian excavation site… A teleporting experiment goes awry, leaving a subject to cope with a bizarre sensory swap… A boy discovers the explosive truth of his father’s “antiseptic” work, stamping out dissent on distant worlds… The last 100 years in Russia have seen an astonishing diversity and depth of literary works in the science fiction genre, by authors with a dizzying array of styles and subject matter. This volume brings together 18 such works, translated into English for the first time, spanning from path-breaking, pre-revolutionary works of the 1890s, through the difficult Stalinist era, ...

The Universal Vampire

Autor: Barbara Brodman , James E. Doan

Número de Páginas: 265

Since the publication of John Polidori’s The Vampyre (1819), the vampire has been a mainstay of Western culture, appearing consistently in literature, art, music (notably opera), film, television, graphic novels and popular culture in general. Even before its entrance into the realm of arts and letters in the early nineteenth century, the vampire was a feared creature of Eastern European folklore and legend, rising from the grave at night to consume its living loved ones and neighbors, often converting them at the same time into fellow vampires. A major question exists within vampire scholarship: to what extent is this creature a product of European cultural forms, or is the vampire indeed a universal, perhaps even archetypal figure? In this collection of sixteen original essays, the contributors shed light on this question. One essay traces the origins of the legend to the early medieval Norse draugr, an “undead” creature who reflects the underpinnings of Dracula, the latter first appearing as a vampire in Anglo-Irish Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, Dracula. In addition to these investigations of the Western mythic, literary and historic traditions, other essays in this volume...

Nightmare: From Literary Experiments to Cultural Project

Autor: Dina Khapaeva

Número de Páginas: 273

What is a nightmare as a psychological experience, a literary experiment and a cultural project? Why has experiencing a nightmare under the guise of reading a novel, watching a film or playing a video game become a persistent requirement of contemporary mass culture? By answering these questions, which have not been addressed by literary criticism and cultural studies, we can interpret anew the texts of classic authors. Charles Maturin, Nikolai Gogol, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Thomas Mann, Howard Philips Lovecraft and Victor Pelevin carry out bold experiments on their heroes and readers as they seek to investigate the nature of nightmare in their works. This book examines their prose to reveal the unstudied features of the nightmare as a mental state and traces the mosaic of coincidences leading from literary experiments to today’s culture of nightmare consumption.

Appropriating History

Autor: Matthias Schwartz , Nina Weller

Número de Páginas: 319

Popular media play an important role in reconstructing collective imaginations of history. Dramatic events and ruptures of the 20th century provide the material for playful as well as neo-imperialist and nationalist appropriations of the past. The contributors to the volume investigate this phenomenon using case studies from Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian popular cultures. They show how in mainstream films, TV series, novels, comics and computer games, the reference to Soviet history offers role models, action patterns and even helps to justify current political and military developments. The volume thus presents new insights into the multi-layered and explosive dynamics of popular culture in Eastern Europe.

Tears of God

Autor: Christy Kenneally

Número de Páginas: 391

Fr Michael Flaherty returned to the Island to hide from the world, knowing that those he loves are in danger just because he is alive. But try as he might, he can't escape his past - and, soon, a phone call in the night makes him realise that he has to face his enemy one final time to rid himself of the evil that threatens everything - and everyone - he holds dear. He finds himself in the middle of Jerusalem and in the middle of a fight for the greatest resource the city has - water. As the leaders of the Christians, the Muslims and the Jews argue over which of them owns the vast underground lake beneath the city, those at ground level are involved in a much more simple argument - who should live and who should die? As Michael struggles with his own salvation will he know who to trust and who to destroy?

Pragmaticalization

Autor: Elena Graf , Ulrich Schweier

Número de Páginas: 408

The present volume is dedicated to the phenomenon of pragmaticalization in the context of the theory of grammaticalization. While, in recent decades, the growing interest in the analysis of pragmatic phenomena within grammaticalization research was triggered, amongst others, by studies in the field of subjectivity and intersubjectivity in language, we still lack a model for a broad understanding of how changes on the discourse level come about and face a lack of information which provides a conclusive theoretical framework to systematically record the emergence of an entire layer of discourse units in language. The book is one of the first comprehensive collections contributed to the topic of pragmaticalization, and includes empirical studies on a wide range of languages from diachronic and synchronic perspectives. Aiming to refine our understanding of pragmatic shifts which can be observed by several linguistic units, the contributions discuss such issues as pros and cons of the concept of pragmaticalization, the parameters of pragmaticalization, the emergence of discourse markers and constructions with various pragmatic functions, pathways of change, including the influence of...

The Chronicles of Magik - Hero

Autor: L. Coulsen

Número de Páginas: 346

There be dragons here.It takes one thing, often seemingly insignificant, and everything can change in an instant. Completely. With no way to go back. Some accept their fate, others strive to change it. The first thing that any of them should do is try to survive. For Marcus Coulsen, that is easier said than done. Now he finds the world around him changing rapidly. And all he strives to seize is a little bit of control.And since when could cats talk?

100 Must-read Fantasy Novels

Autor: Nick Rennison , Stephen E. Andrews

Número de Páginas: 209

Fantasy is one of the most visible genres in popular culture - we see the creation of magical and imagined worlds and characters in every type of media, with very strong fan bases in tow. This latest guide in the successful Bloomsbury Must-Read series covers work from a wide range of authors: Tolkien, Philip Pullman, Terry Pratchett, Michael Moorcock, Rudyard Kipling and C.S Lewis to very contemporary writers such as Garth Nix and Steven Erikson. If you want to expand your range of reading or deepen your understanding of this genre, this is the best place to start.

Vampires' Most Wanted

Autor: Laura Enright

Número de Páginas: 361

Although the word "vampire" was not introduced until the eighteenth century, variations of this hemo-craving creature have existed since long before the Christian era. Almost every civilization had a demon or spirit—often a god or goddess—whose bloodlust complicated things for the general populace. But sometimes it’s not all about the blood. Modern vampire tales have stronger-willed and less traditional beings at their core: beings who strive to coexist with mortals by drinking synthetic blood, like True Blood’s Bill Compton, or who sparkle in the daylight instead of disintegrating, like Twilight’s Edward Cullen. Plus, these guys are way easier on the eyes than the more old-school vampires out there, especially filmmaker F. W. Murnau’s infamous Nosferatu, a terrifying vampire in dire need of a manicure. Regardless of time, place, and blood type, Laura Enright cordially invites you into the dark underworld of the vampire. She sheds light (but not too much) on this captivating, age-defying creature by exploring topics ranging from the powers it can possess to what will kill it—for good. With close to thirty top-ten lists brimming with gore and fang-tastic facts,...

The Two Faces of Cancer

Autor: Rebecca Brazier

Número de Páginas: 352

Half of the UK population will receive a diagnosis of cancer at some point in their lives and most people will know someone who has been affected by this complex disease. Drawing from her three personal experiences with cancer alongside her professional experience as a counsellor and personal coach, Rebecca Brazier chronicles her journey through diagnosis, treatment and recovery. When talking about cancer we tend to think about the physical side effects of treatment. Although medical advances are saving and extending lives, less consideration is given to the emotional and psychological trauma which cancer creates. The Two Faces of Cancer describes and addresses this trauma and explores why cancer is difficult to recover from both personally and within society. It describes the devastation and powerful feelings cancer created for Rebecca and how she channelled these to create a meaningful life. It also draws from Rebecca’s professional knowledge to analyse the emotional and psychological impact of cancer and to suggest routes to recovery.

Contemporary World Fiction

Autor: Juris Dilevko , Keren Dali , Glenda Garbutt

Número de Páginas: 554

This much-needed guide to translated literature offers readers the opportunity to hear from, learn about, and perhaps better understand our shrinking world from the perspective of insiders from many cultures and traditions. In a globalized world, knowledge about non-North American societies and cultures is a must. Contemporary World Fiction: A Guide to Literature in Translation provides an overview of the tremendous range and scope of translated world fiction available in English. In so doing, it will help readers get a sense of the vast world beyond North America that is conveyed by fiction titles from dozens of countries and language traditions. Within the guide, approximately 1,000 contemporary non-English-language fiction titles are fully annotated and thousands of others are listed. Organization is primarily by language, as language often reflects cultural cohesion better than national borders or geographies, but also by country and culture. In addition to contemporary titles, each chapter features a brief overview of earlier translated fiction from the group. The guide also provides in-depth bibliographic essays for each chapter that will enable librarians and library users...

The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 21

Autor: Stephen Jones

Número de Páginas: 673

The year's best, and darkest, tales of terror, showcasing the most outstanding new short stories and novellas by both contemporary masters of the macabre and exciting newcomers. As ever, this acclaimed anthology also offers the most comprehensive annual overview of horror around the world in all its incarnations; a comprehensive necrology of famous names; and a list of indispensable contact addresses for the dedicated horror fan and writer alike. The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror remains the world's leading annual anthology dedicated solely to presenting the best in contemporary horror fiction. Praise for Stephen Jones: 'The best horror anthologist in the business is, of course, Stephen Jones, whose Mammoth Book of Best New Horror is one of the major bargains of this as of any other year.' Roz Kavaney 'An essential volume for horror readers.' Locus 'Stephen Jones . . . has a better sense of the genre than almost anyone in this country.' Lisa Tuttle, The Times Books

Prewriting Your Screenplay

Autor: Michael Tabb

Número de Páginas: 246

Prewriting Your Screenplay cements all the bricks of a story’s foundations together and forms a single, organic story-growing technique, starting with a blank slate. It shows writers how to design each element so that they perfectly interlock together like pieces of a puzzle, creating a stronger story foundation that does not leave gaps and holes for readers to find. This construction process is performed one piece at a time, one character at a time, building and incorporating each element into the whole. The book provides a clear-cut set of lessons that teaches how to construct that story base around concepts as individual as the writer’s personal opinions, helping to foster an individual writer’s voice. It also features end-of-chapter exercises that offer step-by-step guidance in applying each lesson, providing screenwriters with a concrete approach to building a strong foundation for a screenplay. This is the quintessential book for all writers taking their first steps towards developing a screenplay from nothing, getting them over that first monumental hump, resulting in a well-formulated story concept that is cohesive and professional.

The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 18

Autor: Stephen Jones

Número de Páginas: 758

The year's darkest tales of terror Here is the latest edition of the world's premier annual showcase of horror and dark fantasy fiction. It features some of the very best short stories and novellas by today's masters of the macabre - including Neil Gaiman, Brian Keene, Elizabeth Massie, Glen Hirshberg, Peter Atkins and Tanith Lee. The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror also features the most comprehensive yearly overview of horror around the world, lists of useful contact addresses and a fascinating necrology. It is the one book that is required reading for every fan of macabre fiction.

Incredible artificial intelligence Easy Diffusion 3.0. The Middle and High School Guide

Autor: Alexander Chesalov

Número de Páginas: 387

This book is written for middle and high school students.With the help of it and the Easy Diffusion 3.0 artificial intelligence system, you will learn how to create unique and inimitable images that you can use in your studies or for entertainment.The book contains educational information about existing types of artificial intelligence and a wonderful album of more than a hundred illustrations.

The Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature

Autor: Edward James , Farah Mendlesohn

Número de Páginas: 297

Fantasy is a creation of the Enlightenment, and the recognition that excitement and wonder can be found in imagining impossible things. From the ghost stories of the Gothic to the zombies and vampires of twenty-first-century popular literature, from Mrs Radcliffe to Ms Rowling, the fantastic has been popular with readers. Since Tolkien and his many imitators, however, it has become a major publishing phenomenon. In this volume, critics and authors of fantasy look at its history since the Enlightenment, introduce readers to some of the different codes for the reading and understanding of fantasy, and examine some of the many varieties and subgenres of fantasy; from magical realism at the more literary end of the genre, to paranormal romance at the more popular end. The book is edited by the same pair who produced The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction (winner of a Hugo Award in 2005).

TeenStuff (November 2005)

Número de Páginas: 40

The SFWA European Hall of Fame

Autor: James Morrow , Kathryn Morrow

Número de Páginas: 425

A new SFWA Hall of Fame anthology from european contemporary masters These powerful science fiction stories represent the best writers and stories in most of the major contemporary European languages. Editors James and Kathryn Morrow spent years working with translators to achieve sharp, polished, entertaining versions of these stories in English. This anthology belongs in every library of SF, personal or public. "Wondrous worlds await U.S. fans in this sensitively chosen, impeccably translated anthology of Continental European science fiction stories. These ‘disciplined speculations' by European writers and their painstaking translators not only excite the mind, they move the heart." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The SFWA European Hall of Fame At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Celebration of Death in Contemporary Culture

Autor: Dina Khapaeva

Número de Páginas: 265

Popular culture has reimagined death as entertainment and monsters as heroes, reflecting a profound contempt for the human race

The Palgrave Handbook of Global Fantasy

Autor: Elana Gomel , Danielle Gurevitch

Número de Páginas: 346

This handbook is the first-of-its-kind comprehensive overview of fantasy outside the Anglo-American hegemony. While most academic studies of fantasy follow the well-trodden path of focusing on Tolkien, Rowling, and others, our collection spotlights rich and unique fantasy literatures in India, Australia, Italy, Greece, Poland, Russia, China, and many other areas of Europe, Asia, and the global South. The first part focuses on the theoretical aspects of fantasy, broadening and modifying existing definitions to accommodate the global reach of the genre. The second part contains essays illuminating specific cultures, countries, and religious or ethnic traditions. From Aboriginal myths to (self)-representation of Tibet, from the appropriation of the Polish Witcher by the American pop culture to modern Greek fantasy that does not rely on stories of Olympian deities, and from Israeli vampires to Talmudic sages, this collection is an indispensable reading for anyone interested in fantasy fiction and global literature.

Vampires Are Us

Autor: Margot Adler

Número de Páginas: 244

The author of Drawing Down the Moon offers a "literate, imaginative, and just plain fascinating” exploration of the enduring allure of vampires (Whitley Strieber, author of The Hunger). Author and NPR correspondent Margot Adler found herself newly drawn to vampire novels while sitting vigil at her dying husband’s bedside. Intrigued by the way this ever-evolving myth lets us contemplate mortality, she embarked on a years-long journey of reading hundreds vampire novels—from teen to adult, from gothic to modern, from detective to comic. She began to see just how each era creates the vampires it needs. Dracula, an Eastern European monster, was the perfect vehicle for 19th-century England’s fear of outsiders and of disease seeping in through its large ports. In 1960s America, the television show Dark Shadows gave us the morally conflicted vampire struggling against his own predatory nature, who still enthralls us today. From Bram Stoker to Ann Rice; from vampire detective thrillers to lesbian vampire fiction; and from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Twilight and True Blood, Vampires Are Us explores the issues of power, politics, morality, identity, and even the fate of the planet...

Can integrated titles improve the viewing experience?

Autor: Wendy Fox

Número de Páginas: 247

Historically a dubbing country, Germany is not well-known for subtitled productions. But while dubbing is predominant in Germany, more and more German viewers prefer original and subtitled versions of their favourite shows and films. Conventional subtitling, however, can be seen as a strong intrusion into the original image that can not only disrupt but also destroy the director’s intended shot composition and focus points. Long eye movements between focus points and subtitles decrease the viewer’s information intake, and especially German audiences, who are often not used to subtitles, seem to prefer to wait for the next subtitle instead of looking back up again. Furthermore, not only the placement, but also the overall design of conventional subtitles can disturb the image composition – for instance titles with a weak contrast, inappropriate typeface or irritating colour system. So should it not, despite the translation process, be possible to preserve both image and sound as far as possible? Especially given today’s numerous artistic and technical possibilities and the huge amount of work that goes into the visual aspects of a film, taking into account not only special...

Days of the Dead Presents Georgia Screeches

Autor: Joe Moe

Número de Páginas: 143

Joe Moe is a writer, entertainer and horror host, privileged to have been considered best friend and caretaker to the late, great, Forrest J Ackerman, founding fearfather of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror fandom. Following in “Uncle Forry’s” clawprints, Joe partnered with pals Bill Philputt, Days of the Dead Horror convention promotor, and Nicholas Grabowsky, publisher of Black Bed Sheet Books, to create an ongoing series of anthologies to promote literacy and creativity in fandom. Joe Moe believes we’re responsible to find our voice and then obligated to share it with the world! Reading horror engages our deepest imagination. Writing horror requires our furthest flights of fantasy. From the 1930s until his death in 2008, Uncle Forry believed that a world full of imagination was a world where no problem must remain unsolved. A world where we learn about each other by sharing our stories. We hope you’ll be inspired by the experienced authors and the fledgling writers found in this book. We hope you’ll be inspired to see yourself in print in one of our upcoming editions. Until then, may the Forrest be with you!

Writer's Market 2010

Autor: Caroline Taggart

Número de Páginas: 2207

THE MOST TRUSTED GUIDE TO GETTING PUBLISHED Written by writers for writers and backed by 89 years of authority, Writer's Market is the #1 resource for helping writers sell their work. Used by both seasoned professionals and writers new to the publishing world, Writer's Market has helped countless writers transform their love of writing from a hobby into a career. Nowhere else but in the 2010 Writer's Market will you find the most comprehensive and reliable information you need. This new edition includes: Complete, up-to-date contact information and submission guidelines for more than 3,500 market listings, including literary agents, book publishers, magazines, newspapers, production companies, theaters, greeting card companies, and more. Informative interviews, helpful tips and instructional articles on the business of writing. The "How Much Should I Charge?" pay rate charts for professional freelancers. Sample good and bad queries in the "Query Letter Clinic." Easy-to-use format and tabbed pages so you can quickly locate the information you need!

Gender, Supernatural Beings, and the Liminality of Death

Autor: Rebecca Gibson , James M. Vanderveen

Número de Páginas: 237

Gender, Supernatural Beings, and the Liminality of Death: Monstrous Males/Fatal Females examines representations of the supernatural dead to demonstrate shifts in the manifestation of gender. Including readings of East Asian detectives/cyborgs, Iranian vampires, and African zombies, among others, This collection offers a multi-faceted look at myth, legend, and popular culture representations of the gendered supernatural from a broad range of international contexts. The contributors show that, as creatures pass through the liminal space of death, their new supernatural forms challenge cultural conceptions of gender, masculinity, and femininity.