Fantasy and Faith: Muslim Fantasy, Myth & Meaning – Details, episodes & analysis

Season 3 of the Fantasy and Faith Podcast kicks of with writer M D Ndogo and his debut novel Daughter of Samarkand, which launches on Monday 12th Jan 2026. In this episode, we discuss what inspired M D Ndogo to go with a female protagonist and set his book in medieval Samarkand.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daughter-Samarkand-Ink-Gold-Book-ebook/dp/B0GBXBZLPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FEYWB4KXVIJC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zvbGKqGuWJTG-uhCd-NQuQ.o_8I3arHYGVD3If-kbNSZ0eGFWg8lllDFMeoZcIFhRc&dib_tag=se&keywords=daughter+of+samarkand&qid=1767732915&sprefix=daughter+of+samarkand%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdndogoauthor/

Substack: https://substack.com/@UCeGYw4tpkC5CMiaNoXIAmeA

Authors often portray the cost of Magic in different ways. But in Muslim Fantasy the cost is more than physical.

The World Fantasy Con is the biggest event for genre fiction and this year its taking place in Brighton. To talk about why writers and readers should make the journey, I am joined by the British Fantasy Society’s David Green and Robin C M Duncan. We discuss all the different genre conventions that take place in the UK and talk about what makes World Fantasy Con so different. You can get your day ticket for World Fantsay Con 2025 here: https://worldfantasy2025.co.uk/shop/

Episode 9, Season 2. Ismail Karolia is studying Worldbuilding in Speculative Fiction for his PhD and lectures at University of Lancashire.

Award-winning comic book writer and artist Ibrahim Moustafa (Marvel, DC, Humanoids) joins Fantasy and Faith to discuss his journey from drawing iconic superheroes to crafting acclaimed original graphic novels like Count and Retroactive. In this exclusive interview, Ibrahim shares behind-the-scenes insights from working with #marvelcomics and #dccomics, the creative freedom of his #humanoidsInc. projects, and how his #EgyptianAmerican heritage and Muslim faith influence his storytelling. We dive into the challenges of representation in the comics industry, the future of graphic storytelling, and advice for aspiring creators. Ibrahim's Links YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ibrahim_m?si=wriZTXLjLrHrVJmm

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/... Website:

https://www.ibrahimmoustafa.com/

The critically acclaimed Anna Smith Spark, the Queen of Grimdark, a PhD in English Literature and multi-nominee of various awards (including Gemmell Award and the British Fantasy Award), talks about her role in shaping the Grimdark subgenre and her thoughts on religion in fantasy fiction. You can preorder the book from:

Flame Tree Publishing: https://www.flametreepublishing.com/a-sword-of-gold-and-ruin-isbn-9781787589704.html

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-sword-of-gold-and-ruin-special-edition/anna-smith-spark/9781787589698

What happens when a former editor of New Scientist turns her gaze from cutting-edge science to the ancient myths of the world’s first civilization? In this episode, we sit down with Emily H. Wilson, author of the lyrical and gripping Sumerian Trilogy—a retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the descent of Inanna, and the cosmic clash of gods and mortals. Website: https://www.emilyhwilson.com/

Inana, Gilgamesh and Ninshubar are available from all good bookshops (and evil ones like Amazon too).

My guest today is Farhana Shaikh, founder of The Asian Writer and Dahlia Books. She is also the author of No Place for a Young Woman, which was longlisted for the Women’s Prize Discoveries 2023. She started Dahlia Books (https://www.dahliapublishing.co.uk/) from her kitchen table and is also a lecturer in Marketing at DeMontfort University. Dahlia Books are doing a physical launch of their recent poetry collection Bring Me Gold: Fifty Poem for Palestine (https://www.dahliapublishing.co.uk/product/poems-for-palestine) on 20th September 2025 in Leicester.