Collection
August 2018
The Word-Hoard: Unguent
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…
The Word-Hoard: Vertiginous
Vertiginous: adj. 1 a : Characterized by or suffering from vertigo or dizziness b : Inclined to frequent and often pointless change ; inconstant 2 : Causing or…
Jack Vance channels Burroughs: Planet of Adventure
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…
The Word-Hoard: Effulgence
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…
Genre Wars: SF & F and Magic
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…
The Word-Hoard: Illusory
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.…
Tolkien’s Hero Hound Huan
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…
The Fake Split of Scifi and Fantasy
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…
The Word-Hoard: Balustrade
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…
The Word-Hoard: Thew
Thew: n. 1. (Usually thews) Muscle or sinew. 2. (Thews) physical strength. “Thew” is one of those lean yet powerful words that fits so well into a…