“Artists use lies to tell the truth…” – Evey Hammond
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A little something for you!
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Coffee, Magic & Pixie Dust
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The Beauty in Being Broken
You know that feeling when you’re barely holding it together, but you still show up? When every part of you is screaming to quit, to hide, to protect what’s left of yourself—but something deeper pushes you forward anyway? That’s the heart of Yugen. And honestly? That’s the kind of hero we need more of. Because…
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We Need to Talk About How Power Protects Itself
You know that sinking feeling when you realize the people who were supposed to protect you are actually protecting each other? Yeah. Let’s sit with that for a second. Maybe a few more seconds. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately—how institutions that claim to stand for justice are often riddled with people covering…
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Beneath the Banner: How Yugen Mirrors the Shadow Side
In the last post, we talked about why dark fantasy readers crave psychological complexity—and why Yugen delivers it so well.This time, let’s get more specific, and more uncomfortable: Yugen doesn’t just build a corrupt fantasy order in a vacuum. The Guardian institution, Fortress Frozen Stone, and the way Vian is treated echo something very real:…
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Survivorship Bias: When Doing Everything Right Still Isn’t Enough
Fantasy is full of people who “make it.” The chosen farm boy.The lost heir.The mage with a hidden gift who survives every trial and claims their destiny. Even when those stories are dark, they often carry an unspoken promise: if you grind hard enough, suffer long enough, and keep your heart pure, you’ll win. You’ll…
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Stolen Soul-A Friday Short Story
I arrive at the town’s only coffee house fifteen minutes before the meeting time and sigh as the air conditioning washes the sticky heat away. Hits from my childhood crackle through the strategically placed speakers. There are plenty of couches, tables, and even a small area for games. But it’s empty. It is Sunday morning…
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Yugen. What is it?
Readers of dark fantasy aren’t just chasing darker worlds. They’re chasing truer ones—stories where the monsters outside mirror the ones inside, where trauma actually changes people, and where justice is never simple. Yugen sits right in that sweet spot: a dark fantasy novel with rich psychological complexity, centered on Vian—a betrayed Guardian recruit cursed with…
Got any book recommendations?
Janessa Keeling 