Olvidado Rey Gudú: Best Fantasy You’ve Never Read

Señalaba al Norte, y murmuraba: «De la Selva, llega el misterio». Indicaba después hacia el Este: «De la Estepa, la
destrucción, el fuego, la muerte…». Luego, volvíase hacia el Sur: «Del otro lado de las Lisias, el sueño, lo imposible…, y la mentira». Por fin, con voz donde latía una misteriosa tristeza, señalaba a Occidente: «Y de más allá de las tundras, el olvido»

Olvidado Rey Gudú is the 12th, and self-considered greatest novel of the Spanish writer Ana María Matute. The story follows the forgotten Kingdom of Olar from the birth of its ruling dynasty, although mainly focusing on the stories of Gudú and his mother Ardid. It has no English translation, but it’s so good that it’s worth learning Spanish for. Here’s why

From the Forest, Arrives the Mystery

Game of Thrones is one of my favorite stories, fantasy stories or otherwise, ever written. And this isn’t because of the brutal “realism”, the dragons, or the sex scenes, but rather because of its atmosphere of romanticism and humanity. The air of sadness and loss, but also hope for the future that pervades the series from the very first page tickled my heart strings like the poems of Lord Byron or the paintings of Delacroix. The characters, many of whom do stupid things out of love or loyalty to an ideal, and are often punished for…