AJ Carlisle

Welcome to the Tumblr page for my website, ajcarlisle.wordpress.com, dedicated to The Artifacts of Destiny fantasy series, and blogs related to Medieval Europe and a variety of other interests. Also, please check out my sites on Facebook and...

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An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, Egypt 4.1: Finding Aspects of 'Ma'at' in Ancient Egypt

An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, Egypt 4.1: Finding Aspects of ‘Ma’at’ in Ancient Egypt

Whenever I’m teaching my “World History to 1500” survey course at the university, the Bronze Age civilization of Egypt offers both writers and students a unique worldview and host of mythological and religious beliefs that can also inspire the writing of epic fantasy. FINDING COSMIC BALANCE BETWEEN FORCES OF ORDER (MA’AT) AND CHAOS (ISFET)The unique worldview of the ancient Egyptians during the…

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An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, Egypt 4.1: Fragmentation, Restoration, and Renewal in Ancient Egypt

An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, Egypt 4.1: Fragmentation, Restoration, and Renewal in Ancient Egypt

Whenever I’m teaching my World History to 1500 survey course, the introductions to a variety of antique civilizations gives me plenty of opportunity to think about the mythological and religious inspirations an epic fantasist might draw from for storytelling. In the case of the Old through New Kingdoms of Egypt (c. 2700-1085 B.C.E.), any attempt at immersing oneself in the society needs to first…

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#tolkienreadingday An Author's Journey: Epic Fantasy & Literary Middle Ages (14) J.R.R. Tolkien's Decision to Split LotR from The Silmarillion (1952)

#tolkienreadingday An Author’s Journey: Epic Fantasy & Literary Middle Ages (14) J.R.R. Tolkien’s Decision to Split LotR from The Silmarillion (1952)

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#tolkienreadingday An Author's Journey: Epic Fantasy & Literary Middle Ages (13) Literary Critics of J.R.R. Tolkien (Harold Bloom, Michael Moorcock, et al)

#tolkienreadingday An Author’s Journey: Epic Fantasy & Literary Middle Ages (13) Literary Critics of J.R.R. Tolkien (Harold Bloom, Michael Moorcock, et al)

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#tolkienreadingday An Author's Journey: Epic Fantasy & the Literary Middle Ages (12) Medieval Literature & Epic Fantasy Monomyth (J.R.R. Tolkien, Joseph Campbell, & W.H. Auden)

#tolkienreadingday An Author’s Journey: Epic Fantasy & the Literary Middle Ages (12) Medieval Literature & Epic Fantasy Monomyth (J.R.R. Tolkien, Joseph Campbell, & W.H. Auden)

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#tolkienreadingday An Author's Journey: Epic Fantasy & the Literary Middle Ages (11) Medieval Literature as Transcendental (Auerbach, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, & Medieval World-Building)

#tolkienreadingday An Author’s Journey: Epic Fantasy & the Literary Middle Ages (11) Medieval Literature as Transcendental (Auerbach, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, & Medieval World-Building)

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#tolkienreadingday An Author's Journey: Epic Fantasy & the Literary Middle Ages (10) Medieval Literature as History (Philology, Erich Auerbach, & J.R.R. Tolkien)

#tolkienreadingday An Author’s Journey: Epic Fantasy & the Literary Middle Ages (10) Medieval Literature as History (Philology, Erich Auerbach, & J.R.R. Tolkien)

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#tolkienreadingday An Author's Journey: Epic Fantasy & the Literary Middle Ages (9) Medieval Literature (J.R.R. Tolkien as Storyteller & Philologist: "On Fairy Stories")

#tolkienreadingday An Author’s Journey: Epic Fantasy & the Literary Middle Ages (9) Medieval Literature (J.R.R. Tolkien as Storyteller & Philologist: “On Fairy Stories”)

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Carlisle Blog: An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, 3: The Waters of Babylon – Enki & The Epic of Gilgamesh

Carlisle Blog: An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, 3: The Waters of Babylon – Enki & The Epic of Gilgamesh

“The Adda Seal,” depicts Enki (Ea) with a river & fish flowing through him (ancient Akkadian greenstone cylinder seal, c. 2300 BCE; British Museum)

Carlisle Blog: An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, 3: The Waters of Babylon – Enki & The Epic of Gilgamesh

“Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” —Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of…

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VOTE: New “Codex Lacrimae, Part 1” Cover Art Illustration

VOTE: Final Round for Choosing New Epic Fantasy Cover! 99designs: AJ Carlisle’s “The Codex Lacrimae, Pt 1: The Mariner’s Daughter & Doomed Knight”

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VOTE: New "Codex Lacrimae, Part 1" Cover Art Illustration

VOTE: New “Codex Lacrimae, Part 1” Cover Art Illustration

VOTE: Final Round for Choosing New Epic Fantasy Cover! 99designs: AJ Carlisle’s “The Codex Lacrimae, Pt 1: The Mariner’s Daughter & Doomed Knight” https://99designs.com/contests/poll/2adb8ecd90

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Carlisle Blog: An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, 2: Moon Gods and Dragon-Slayers in Ancient Mesopotamia

Carlisle Blog: An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, 2: Moon Gods and Dragon-Slayers in Ancient Mesopotamia

Marduk’s symbol animal, the mušḫuššu or “snake-dragon” at the Detroit Institute of Arts. This is a glazed brick relief from the city of Babylon itself, dating to Neo-Babylonian period (oracc.museum.upenn.edu)

Carlisle Blog: An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, 2: Moon Gods, and Dragon-Slayers in Ancient Mesopotamia    

Lecturing and testing is…

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Carlisle Blog: An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, 1: World History to 1500 as a Creative Wellspring for Epic Fantasy

Carlisle Blog: An Author’s Journey: Mythological & Religious Inspirations for Medieval Epic Fantasy, 1: World History to 1500 as a Creative Wellspring for Epic Fantasy

“Standard of Ur”: mosaic (of shell, limestone, lapis lazuli, bitumen) on a wooden box, depicting activities of Sumerians (weaving, herding, and farming) (c. 2600 B.C.E.) Wikipedia Speculum: A Journal of Medieval History, Volume 93, Number 4 | October 2018″ (Published quarterly by the Medieval Academy of America)

A snowfall looms behind a cloudbank here in the Rocky Mountains, and I’m sitting by…

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A much needed Labor Day Weekend break at Grand Lake with FamBam & dear friends—the pell-mell pace that marked start of semester’s medieval world & world history lectures, academic research & fantasy writing, and keeping up with daily life slows to drifting when kayaking on the water! https://www.instagram.com/p/BnNDS9aHUdaA68CoYwbYbKVsQdtiDQPAIFQY_k0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=kthqrli5odi4

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Touring UC Berkeley with a beloved alum extraordinaire — Allegra’s “speed dating”-like tour of CA law schools saved the best for last & we had a blast catchiNG up with David & having another family reunion two weeks in a row! We’ll support whatever path you choose, Kid, but this UCSC Banana Slug and that cheerful ol’ Cal Bear would love it if UCB works out!😘 (at UC Berkeley)

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2,500 years later ... Allegra & Laura kicked it at the SF Marathon today! Well done, gals, and soooo proud of you for starting in the dark by the Bay Bridge & making relatively short work of that 26.2 miles! Bravo! #philippideshasnothingonyou (Battle of Marathon shout-out for these ladies!) (at Embarcadero, California)

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Fantastic reunion after too long apart! Looking forward to new memories soon!😘