Petra Mayer

Legend says that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, England will fall. Luckily, ravenmaster Chris Skaife is there to care for them, and he's got a new book about these extraordinary birds.

Writer, critic and musician Juan Vidal grew up largely fatherless, falling in and out of trouble — but he found fellowship, poetry, and eventually guidance in the words of his favorite rappers.

ElfQuest is a comics industry institution — this saga of, yes, elves on a quest has been running since 1978. But now, creators Wendy and Richard Pini have brought the quest to an end.

Tangier Island, in the Chesapeake Bay, has been home to a small, self-reliant community of watermen for centuries — and now climate change is threatening to swamp the island and its way of life.

Critic and author Jason Heller's new book traces the considerable influence of David Bowie on the science-fiction inflected music of the 1970s, from "Space Oddity" to the glittery glory of Funkadelic.

In honor of Frankenstein's 200th birthday, this year's summer reader poll is all about horror — from classics like Mary Shelley's monster to new favorites, we've got something to scare everyone.

San Diego Comic-Con ended on Sunday, and our intrepid correspondents Mallory Yu and Petra Mayer report on an Eisner Awards ceremony (the Oscars of comics) dominated by women and writers of color.

Seanan McGuire has published dozens of books in the past few years that take place across multiple fictional universes. We meet up with her at San Diego Comic-Con, where she meets with fans.

On their third day at San Diego Comic-Con, NPR's Mallory Yu and Petra Mayer get into the spirit of things by dressing up as their favorite heroes and checking out the amazing costumes on display.

Our intrepid reporters Mallory Yu and Petra Mayer take on another day of San Diego Comic-Con, from immersive fan adventures to, yes, all the Doctor Who you can shake a sonic screwdriver at.

The huge fan convention that is San Diego Comic-Con kicks off today. NPR's Petra Mayer and Mallory Yu are there, and their look at Preview Night includes fandom, puppets and the aspirations of girls.

The famous, and famously cantankerous, science fiction writer Harlan Ellison has died. Over a 6-decade career, he won multiple awards for his fiction and television writing.

The Association for Library Service to Children has voted to rename its Laura Ingalls Wilder award for children's literature, after complaints about Wilder's portrayal of Native Americans.

We asked you to tell us about your favorite horror novels and short stories, and you gave us more than 6,500 titles. Now, meet the expert judges who'll take those parts and create a beautiful monster.

Our famous Summer Reader Poll lurches to life, dripping grave-dirt and bits of glowing green, ready to hear all about your favorite horror novels and stories. What sends a shiver down your spine?

The Swedish Academy — the body that awards Nobel Prizes — has announced that the literature prize will not be given this year. The decision follows a spate of infighting and allegations of sexual misconduct against the husband of an Academy member.

American author Ursula K. Le Guin has died at age 88. She was one of the most influential authors of the 20th century, known primarily for her science fiction and fantasy novels and stories.

Author Ursula K. Le Guin has died at age 88. She was a prolific writer of science fiction and fantasy who brought feminism into her work and raised the genres into literature.

NPR launches its 2017 Book Concierge on Tuesday, pulling together a year's worth of favorite reads from staff and critics. NPR Books editor Petra Mayer talks about some of this year's selections.

If all the world's a stage, and men and women merely players, there must be somewhere to stash the scenery and change your costumes. What's it like in the wings at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre?