Sybaritic adj. Fond of sensuous luxury or pleasure; self-indulgent. The Emperor , of the Emperor’s Notepad, suggested that it might be interesting to explore the origins of some of these words while we’re tossing them into the vault. “Sybaritic,” then, is an excellent starting place. Sybaris was a wealthy […]
Unguent: n. a thick substance, usually with a pleasant smell, used to treat skin problems or make the skin soft. “Unguent” is an excellent alternative to “ointment” and “salve,” should you think either of them too mundane or overused. Whether you’re talking about the fine-smelling oils that an aristocrat might […]
Vertiginous: adj. 1 a : Characterized by or suffering from vertigo or dizziness b : Inclined to frequent and often pointless change ; inconstant 2 : Causing or tending to cause dizziness 3 : Marked by turning ; rotary When you’re poised atop a celestial skybridge or climbing the […]
An Earthman finds himself stranded on an alien world peopled by multiple, warring races of men and strange non-human creatures. Armed with courage and wit, trusting in his charisma, combat ability, and survival skills, and guided by compassion and a will to unite the men of this new world, he […]
Effulgence: n. A brilliant radiance; a shining forth. “Effulgence” strikes me as a great word for that flood of light when the door is opened between a dark chamber and a well-lit one. Maybe the effulgence of light contrasts sharply with the black silhouette of a sinister villain. Or of […]
Last week I shared my musings on the divide between scifi and fantasy, and why it’s not the most helpful or natural distinction. Over at pcbushi.com, one of my counterparts has offered a different perspective. In the hottest of takes, he suggests that in Star Wars, the Force is less […]
Illusory: adj. 1. Causing illusion; deceptive; misleading. 2. Of the nature of an illusion; unreal. Phantasm and illusion spring up quite frequently in fantastical stories and weird tales. Often they wind up being real, and deadly. “Illusory” may not be that uncommon a word, but it’s one that can be […]
I haven’t been following news of the new Amazon Studios’ Lord of the Rings series very closely, though I have heard that at least the first season (of five initially planned – holy hot dogs!) is going to focus on a young Aragorn. Sheesh. I think I agree with John […]
I was all set to fire up this post with a little research on the question of why so many modern readers and writers seem to separate scifi and fantasy into two distinct genres. I began to type my query, and things got a little…turned around. Hmm. Well, here’s the […]
Balustrade: n. A railing or wall to prevent people from falling over the edge of stairs, a balcony, etc. If you’re anything like me, you’ve seen plenty of impressive or notable architectural features in your day without having the slightest clue what they’re called – like those latticed wooden structures […]
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