Tag Archives: magic

E. C. Ambrose Takes the Fun out of Movies: “Fantastic Beasts” and the Ethics of Magic

Posted on November 22, 2016 by E. C. Ambrose

This weekend, I went to see the new Potterverse film, “Fantastic Creatures and Where to Find Them.”  Let me preface these remarks by saying that I love a good fantasy creature, but I have some issues with Rowling’s work overall … Continue reading →

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Review: Magic, Mysticism, and Hasidism, by Gedalyah Nigal

Posted on March 20, 2016 by E. C. Ambrose

I picked up this book after discovering it in the bibliography of a couple of other books on Jewish mysticism which I was reading as research material for book 4 in my Dark Apostle series. I wanted more detail on … Continue reading →

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40 Years of Rule-based Magic: Celebrating the Anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons

Posted on September 12, 2014 by E. C. Ambrose

As many of you may know, this year we celebrate the 4oth anniversary of the Dungeons and Dragons Role-playing system.  No doubt some of you readers have been players at one time or another, no doubt some of you have … Continue reading →

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Studying Magic in the Middle Ages

Posted on July 10, 2013 by E. C. Ambrose

One of the frustrations of being a fantasy writer is confronting the accusation that one can simply make it all up. The best authors, IMHO, use a combination of reality and imagination to bring a new world to life. To … Continue reading →

Posted in Elisha Barber, fantasy, history, magic, medieval, religion, The Dark Apostle, witchcraft | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Guest Interview: Gail Z. Martin, author of Ice Forged

Posted on June 22, 2013 by E. C. Ambrose

It’s been a while since I had a guest on the blog, so I’m excited to host Gail Z. Martin, author of Ice Forged, to tell us a bit more about her work. If you’re into action, character, and rich … Continue reading →

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Werewolves in Medieval History

Posted on February 27, 2013 by E. C. Ambrose

Whether you’re more Team Jacob or “Werewolves of London” you know that werewolves are hot right now (both in sales, and apparently, in sex appeal). But their prevalence in the Urban Fantasy genre might obscure their long history. My eyes … Continue reading →

Posted in fantasy, fiction, history, magic, medieval, Uncategorized, witchcraft | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop: Elisha Barber

Posted on January 2, 2013 by E. C. Ambrose

I was tagged to participate in The Next Big Thing Blog Hop by the marvelous Heather Albano, author of two (so far!) steampunk novels you can learn more about at her post:  http://www.heatheralbano.com/2012/12/26/the-next-big-thing-blog-hop/ So without further ado: What is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elisha Barber, fantasy, fiction, historical medicine, history, magic, medieval, The Dark Apostle, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Review: Thieftaker

Posted on July 29, 2012 by E. C. Ambrose

Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson My rating: 4 of 5 stars A tense, engaging read. There’s been recent interest in historical fantasies with American settings, and this was a nice addition to that elite group. Jackson creates an off-beat character with … Continue reading →

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10 Ways to Screw up a Magical System

Posted on August 10, 2011 by E. C. Ambrose

1.  Watch while I pull this rabbit out of my hat! Hey, my hero’s in a tough spot, I’ll think of a new spell for him to use!  Every time! 2.  Spell, what spell? . . .because I need him … Continue reading →

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