by Rachel A. Rosen

Shamefully, I had never heard of Charles R. Saunders or the genre of Soul & Sorcery before he was inducted into the CSFFA Hall of Fame last year. This speaks to not just my own ignorance but the fickleness of the publishing industry and the SFFH community.

A legend in his time, Saunders wrote groundbreaking fantasy about an imagined Africa and was a huge influence on many of the authors I’m obsessed with today. He was also a journalist and a fascinating person. And he died poor, obscure, and was buried in an unmarked grave.

Tattrie, thanks to their own friendship with Saunders and the many letters that the author sent over the years to friends, fans, and collaborators, does an incredible job of reconstructing his life and works for a compelling, engrossing read.

Regular readers will note that this might be the first biography we’ve featured here; it’s because I don’t normally read them. This one, however, is well worth your time.