Craving Witches’ stories

Intro

When I was finishing the Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (book two in the All Souls trilogy), I had an epiphany. I wanted to list material focusing on witches. I have a personal fascinating with witches (I always wanted to be a witch and have powers connected to the elements, and I have always loved the reference to water powers in particular; to be fair, I have also been incredibly interested in druids for the same reason as above but there is less fantasy literature on them compared to witches).

So this is a non-comprehensive list of material that scratches the itch. I listed the material based on the media you can find them.

Books

Let’s start from the obvious: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowlings. If you did not read the books, please do so. This is one of the best world building there is on witchcraft and wizardry. In fact, only by speaking about it I feel like reading the series again! While the movies made the series justice (to a certain effect), the books just have so much more depth in relation to the world building, the characters, their relationships, especially from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire onwards.

Another series to add to the list is All souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness, starting with A Discovery of Witches, followed by Shadow of Night and concluding with The Book of Life – although focuses more on vampires rather than on witches but there is enough witch related content that it might satisfy that addiction.

Going towards more classic characters. Circe by Madeline Miller: while I did not read the book (although reading the book is a maybe – therefore higher than it was last year), Circe is really the first witch in literature that comes to mind. Originally she is in the Odyssey by Homer.

Another book that absolutely hit the spot for me, reminding me of Victorian England and being very evocative is: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke: this is a beautiful historical fiction (or alternative history) story focusing on the return of magic in Britain at the beginning of the 19th century.

Another masterpiece of fantasy with witches at the center of it (in fact, with a slight commentary on disparity between women and men, at least until I got with the series which is admittedly not very far in) Discorworld by Terry Pratchett: this is the most ironic version of witchcraft and wizardry there is out there and it is just a gem. I find myself attracted to these stories continuously although I have not been focusing on them as much as I want (and there are about forty books in the entire world although there are many different sub-set of stories – such as Death, City Watch, Witches).

A more traditionally fantasy series is The Witchlands by Susan Dennard, incomplete as of today. I usually struggle with young adult/new adult stories but in this case the world building is so strong and the powers are so interesting that I find myself more and more fascinated by the series. In fairness, I could not stand the main characters during my first read of Truthwitch; on my second read, I really appreciated them, including their friendship. If you find yourself not appreciating the series enough the first time around, you might want to give it a second chance!

When it comes to wizards and urban fantasy, there is really one recommendation to make: The Dresden files by Jim Butcher: this is the highlight of urban fantasy for me and Harry Dresden is a wizard working as a wizard for hire in the city of Chicago. There is a lot more to it than just a wizard helping solving murders in Chicago; the world building is also really strong and it develops slowly through multiple books and it is just one of the most appealing urban fantasy series for me.

Manga

Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama is a series focusing on a young girl fascinated by magician without the magical abilities to become one. Until she accidentally uses a spell and suddenly she becomes apprentice to Qifrey. The inking in this story is also quite beautiful, with intricate hatching and so much depth. I assume that drawing this series requires quite a lot of commitment to be able to deliver on time. The series is still ongoing, since 2016.

This is really one of my favorite manga. I just enjoy the tone and the content of this story; I love the characters and their stories; it is as if this was written considering me as the audience (although clearly not, as this is published on Weekly Shonen Jump, aimed at teenager boys…). Black Clover by Yuki Tabata is an interesting story following two orphans who are about to participate in a ceremony to collect their grimoire. This is just the beginning of a fascinating – and beautifully illustrated – story of magic in this fictional world with many many many interesting characters, some cute and cuddly, some nothing short of monsters.

[Radiant](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiant_(manfra)) by [Tony Valente](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Valente_(artist)) is another story of witches. One of the fascinating things is that this is a story by a European artist and the art is to die for. It follows a main character who ends up being in trouble no matter what. There is quite a bit of irony but there is quite a lot of seriousness in the story.

Fairytail by Hiro Mashima is another unique story of witches and wizards, of a guild and how they interact with other guilds. It is a completed series (the author went on to develop another successful series, Edens Zero).

Little witch academia created by Yoh Yoshinari is a story of young witches admitted to a school of magic. It might be more famous as an anime but it is a cute story, possibly aiming at a younger female audience but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Full metal alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa is not technically about magic but about alchemy but also alchemy is not exactly a science. It is a completed series, extremely successful and fascinating in its originality!

Comics

My knowledge of comics is quite limited and specific to the Marvel runs.

When it comes to witches and comics, for Marvel fans there is almost no safer place to start than with Scarlet Witch. Specifically, the Scarlet Witch run of 2015-2017 and the covers speak to me on so many levels. I have the first volume and I cannot wait to dive in!

Strange Academy is the story about the Marvel wizard school in New Orleans. It introduces a whole new set of characters in a school run by magicians of the Marvel Comics. The headmaster is Dr. Strange (duh…) and the teachers include Scarlet Witch, Loki, Magik. Writing by Scottie Young and art by Humberto Ramos just makes this an elevated story and entertaining!

Any Dr. Strange story should be on your map, being the magician of the Marvel Comics.

[Runaways](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaways_(comics)) (originally created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, follows a group of young men and women forced to leave their homes. Among them, there is Nico Minoru who is a witch and uses magic as her weapon. So she will always be the right fit for a passion for witches!

Rat Queens, created by Kurtis J. Wiebe and Roc Upchurch, is another great example of magicians in fantasy. While this is not only the story of a magician, a magic school or wizards in general, it is a story of strong women (including the elven mage Hannah) in a medieval fantasy setting. It is a lot of fun.

Tv shows

Where to start from if not from the witch that is about to rock the entire MCU?

WandaVision: it is difficult to watch this series without having watched the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies before. Yet, it is the story about witches and we are going to get even more witch-y content with the series dedicated to Agatha Harkness. I just am so excited about this.

[The Witcher](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witcher_(TV_series)): while the series focuses on Geralt and his Witcher abilities, there is a lot of content about witches with Yennefer of Vendeberg and her background and her skills. A lot of interesting choices and a lot of violence. Yet, outstanding.

Bewitched: a very old comedy, focusing on a married couple and the challenges of keeping the wife’s powers secret. Lovely series!

Sabrina (both with Sabrina, the teenage witch and Netflix reboot, [Chilling adventures of Sabrina](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilling_Adventures_of_Sabrina_(TV_series))): I loved the original Sabrina. It was released at the right time for me to be the target demographic. It is the story of a teenager witch figuring her life out. While the original was a comedy, the Netflix reboot had a significant horror vibe. I have not watched beyond the first episode but I might focus on the series moving forward.

[Shadow and Bones](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_and_Bone_(TV_series)): a Netflix series based on the Grishaverse (including the Shadow and Bones trilogy and Six of Crows duology) written by Leigh Bardugo. Nice powers, witchcraft like. I am not sure if this is entirely relevant in this list but the visualization of the powers felt deserving of posting this series on this list (not that it needed my reference to boost its views).

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Do you have any good recommendation on druid stories?

Also, any DC fans that want to recommend comics with great wizards and witches in that universe? Zatanna? Where to start with her?

Any other comic that focuses on witches that people should be aware of?

What about manga?

2022 Super Bowl trailers

For me, the exciting Super Bowl factor (and this year there was more controversy on the artists performing) is the trailers.

And this year, once again, it did not disappoint. I really want to focus on three trailers that made my day (and I keep smiling in this respect). And yes, I know I am a bit late with reporting my impressions about it but it does not mean that my excitement is less palpable!

Moon Knight

We have a new 30-seconds trailer with more images associated with the new show. The coolest shots are all centered around Moon Knight. I am looking forward to the Ancient Egyptian mythology being infused in the MCU and I am looking forward to Oscar Isaac portraying him – with all his personalities. This might be my most anticipated series of the year (although Ms. Marvel is really high on my list of series to watch!).

I am excited to share some of the screenshots I took below!

Dr. Strange in the multiverse of madness

Now I have incredibly high expectations about this movie. It is probably my most anticipated movie of the year. And a lot of reactions pointed out that this is the third make-over of the title. I assume this is done on purpose to put us in the middle of the story.

MCU trailers are often outstanding and this is no exception to the rule. Not only the visuals are incredibly appealing but it feels that the stakes are at the highest just yet. We see America Chavez’s powers and those stars are the most beautiful multidimensional portal in the world (I would love to borrow this power!). We hear Patrick Stuart (therefore, Professor X). We see an alternate version of Captain Marvel, we see other versions of Dr. Strange. We see the Illuminati’s headquarters.

And we see the other main character of the story, Scarlet Witch. She is just incredibly Scarlet Witch. She is supposed to be scary, she is appealing, she is strong and she knows it. I also love the line of Scarlet Witch that asks why when Dr. Strange breaks the rules he is considered a hero, while if she does it, she is considered evil. I love Elizabeth Olsen’s delivery of: “that is not fair”. I genuinely enjoy calling out the double standard already in a trailer! Job well done.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Amazon Prime is an incredibly powerful streaming service and it has a lot of fantastic original series (such as the Boys, the Expanse, Bosch). When they announced many years ago now that they were working on a series dedicated to the Lord of the Rings (and the budget is about 1 billion dollars!), I was genuinely excited.

There is always something special about the world of the Lord of the Rings. The world Tolkien built is vast, beautiful and attractive. The story being told precedes (in terms of timing) the story of the Hobbit but the vastness and beauty of the world is just incredible.

It also seems that representation is a key element of this story and I cannot wait to see where this goes. I was excited about the recent pictures that were published recently on Vanity Fair. I cannot wait to see the series on September 2. Very cinematic, a lot of representation and the lore is just incredible.

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Have you seen other trailers that really pulled you in? What are the next movies and/or tv series you are really looking forward to in 2022?

January (2022) wrap up

Intro

January was a monthly bonanza for me. I was able to read ten books and keep track of my reading with minimal wondering around!

Granted the winter months make me feel like staying indoor rather than living life outside but it has been quite fascinating!

Reading

Heroes die by Matthew Woodring Stover is an incredibly appealing and unique story following Caine and his adventures. Only Caine is an entertainer coming from a different dimension and both worlds were incredibly fascinating! The characters and the world building are the highlights of this story. This actually starts the Acts of Caine series that I plan to continue reading soon!

Afraid by Mandasue Heller is a thriller; we follow a teenager who finds herself in incredibly complicated circumstances and trusts a friend she only met online.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt is an interesting omage to Classics and Dostoevsky (specially Crime and Punishment). It is told from a one point of view, a naive Californian who is accepted in an elite college and there he is exposed to the ancient Greeks mentality and in-depth analysis with a small group of students about this age. It is a story of murder and how murder affects each member of this cabal.

It is an interesting journey into the mind of these individuals and, as said before, it pays tribute to the Classics. I really enjoyed the quotes and the continues reference to Greek literature. It was incredibly entertaining but it is a not a fast-paced story and it probably best enjoyed slowly.

The Worldbreaker saga, with the Mirror Empire, Empire Ascendant and the Broken Heaven by Kameron Hurley is the first series that I have completed this year and I could not be happier that this was how I kicked-off my fantasy journey. I love world building, it is probably my favorite element of any fantasy story. This is one of the most unique and intriguing world buildings I came across until now; it is connected to a version of astrology, it has magic and it has a multiverse. It also has one of my favorite young characters ever with Lilia. She is just outstanding through and through and she is not overpowered; she is human, she makes mistakes and she has to face the consequences of her decisions. If you are looking for a book that throws you right into the story and it has one of the most fascinating world building, this is the series for you. Also, this series is a really strong advocate for women and LGBTQ characters. Kameron Hurley also does not shy away from brutality, in any shape or form. Quite fascinating!

Started the Dagger and the Coin series, with The Dragon’s Path, the King’s Blood and the Tyrant’s law by Daniel Abraham is a five-book series and it is a series based on a few characters that live in a quite large continent and they interact.

I started the All Souls trilogy with A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. This was the only book that I started on a whim and it was not included in the list of the options for the month. Yet, I had had this book for a very long time, I kept seeing advertisement to the show and so I decided to give it a go. In fairness, I tried to read it a while ago and I stopped. I enjoyed the characterization of Diana and I loved the description of her rowing passion. I actually bought – many years after I read those few pages – a rower and I always mentally went back to that description.

I loved the way history and the passion for history threaded the story. I loved the world building too. I could not care any less for the vampires and the love story so this is a mixed bag for me.

I also wanted to start reading a romance series to see if I cared for the genre at all but it turns out that I really do not care at all for it. So I can feel more comfortable with the choice of prioritizing other genres over this one.

Books and book-ish things I am obsessed with right now

January determined also my first Archer and Olive purchase even and it is taking a while to deliver! I cannot wait to check the quality of the products!

Tv series and movies

The first trailer for Moon Knight dropped and it was fantastic! I cannot wait to see how the series will develop.

I went on a binge watching three seasons of Succession, an HBO series. It is a drama focusing on family and business. The characters are fantastic, the writing on the show is outstanding and the plot is unwinding in a very compelling and fascinating ways.

Ozark season 4, part 1. I guess if you watch Ozark this is all I would need to state. If you do not watch it yet and you like drama, crime, power and family, this is the right show for you. It is one of the best shows on Netflix – and overall – in my opinion. Not only the writing is superb but the characters are some of the best I have seen in a long time. The interactions between the characters are fascinating and they felt authentic.

Comics

I read Astonishing Times, all five issues. It is a limited short story and it explores a society where superheroes are the normalcy and they are not exciting news any longer.

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How was your January? Did it provide you with a ton of entertainment and satisfaction?

Let me know in your comments down below!

Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer finally drops!

The trailer for Spider-Man No Way Home finally dropped in the morning of August 24th in Europe.

This trailer has been discussed – better said, the potential of the final release of the trailer – for some days now. In fact, it suffered a major leak with a full drop of the trailer. It appears (and I do not have first hand knowledge as I did not watch it) this leak had minimal special effects.

The trailer – which felt like a teaser and really overdue at this point in time – was a great insight into what we can expect. I loved especially the interactions with Doctor Strange and the special effects were just fantastic.

There is an interesting way to look at this trailer, especially in the way Doctor Strange is behaving. While I do not want to even spoil the movie one bit, especially if one decides not to watch trailers (and there are people who prefer to just wait and watch the movie – admirable but I would not really be able to do so when it comes to Marvel content). Yet, if you watched it, doesn’t Doctor Strange come across a bit off compared to the last movies we have seen him?

The most appealing thing here is that the release date is confirmed (end of December, check the Marvel link here!) and this kickstarts the “duo-logy” with Doctor Stange in the Multiverse of Madness!

Not to mention some additional goodies, like in the picture below!

the Eternals final trailer reaction

The Eternals trailer reaction

Just a few hours ago the final trailer for the Eternals (Marvel) dropped (Here). Trailers so far have been interesting but low key. The panoramic views were the best element of the trailer with some sprinkling showing the characters (but very limited).

This trailer finally provides information on the story and some powers!

What we know so far

Let’s summarize what we know so far: director (sorry, Academy award winner director) Chloé Zhao takes us along a brand new adventure with brand new heroes, the Eternals who are members of an alien race “parked” on Earth by the Celestials to protect humankind from the alien race of the Deviants (the same alien race that brought us Thanos based on comics lore at least!).

The Eternals have been on Earth for about 7,000 years and they have seen the development of humankind. The Eternals also have powers (although until this final trailer we did not see much, mostly Athena able to summon a sword, Phastos using this ability – although I could not say what he was doing in the former trailer – and Makkari using her superspeed).

We have also seen the Eternals integrated into society at different times in history but very passively (other than for a fabulous shot where they seem to be standing in front of the Babylon gates and possibly involved in the fight).

So what happened next?

Reaction to the trailer

My first and immediate reaction was excitement. I know, it seems my usual reaction to Marvel Cinematic Universe (“MCU”) trailers. Yet, for the Eternals I was worried I would not be interested. Yes, I liked the first look and the first trailer but they left me relatively indifferent to these characters (so much that I did not feel compelled to read the comics and know more about these characters).

The second reaction was: finally we see powers in action (and how beautiful is their visual representation with this gold stream for all of them). It was time, really long overdue!

What is also appealing is the Marvel Studios logo reimagined to the Eternals flavor (and that was the first time I was fascinated in the trailer and not the last).

We are getting a lot more in terms of content regarding the story and a potential explanation as to why the Eternals did not get involved this far in the conflict of men. I saw trailer reactions where this motive is questioned (mostly based on the wording cut in the trailer which could or could not be construed correctly in that context).

What comes next?

I am intrigued now and I want to dive into the Eternals lore. I will be reading their 2008 and 2009 comics book series (Eternals: to slay a god, [Marvel]) and I want to take a look into the original story (Jack Kirby was their father after all!) and even Neil Gaiman dabbed into their story. I am also very curious to read the recent and still going rebooted story “Never die. Never win” by writer Kieran Gillen and penciled Esad Ribic (and let’s be honest here, the art on the covers are simply great).

What did you think about the trailer? Are you getting excited about it? Are you getting ready to learn more about the Eternals and prepare for the next step in MCU lore?