Shogun meets Game of Thrones in the blockbuster epic fantasy event of the year ‘Family feuds, political savagery and complex characters on both sides of an epic, unfolding war . . . I loved it’ Nicholas Eames ‘A sprawling, complex fantasy epic that builds toward a brutal finale’Fonda Lee Sen Hoshiakari is an exiled prince […]
Adventure Fantasy
Review: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
Synopsis Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural. But […]
SPFBO XI Review: No More Levels by Benjamin Barreth
Synopsis: Life sucks when you’re a potato farmer. That’s why Rin can’t wait to turn sixteen and conquer the nearest beginner dungeon. Only then can he acquire a powerful class in the Game of the Gods and begin the earnest grind to leveling up. With enough monster kills, he might even become someone truly strong, […]
Review: The Odyllic Stone by Alex Scheuermann
Synopsis: When Aster Rutherford, the postmaster’s son and his childhood friend, Zinnia Hollyhock deliver a letter to the Pelware Mines, they are attacked by a birdlike monster that turns men to stone. Even worse, Buckwheat Village is plagued by an illness that’s incapacitating villagers, including Aster’s own father. A chance encounter with Kara Reeves, the […]
Review: Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo
Synopsis Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price―and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . . […]
SPFBO XI Review: The Golden Princess (Chronicles of Fu Xi) by Brian Braden
Synopsis Raised in splendid isolation.Betrothed to a man she despises.Destined to rule over the greatest city on earth.She is the Golden Princess. Sarah dreams of love and adventure beyond her gilded prison, but tonight her dreams come true in the most terrifying way imaginable. A bloody power struggle erupts for the throne, and dawn finds […]
SPFBO XI Review: Shadow of the Sword (William of Alamore Series) by C.J.R. Isely
Synopsis Laster has always wanted to prove himself to his father by becoming a knight of Alamore. Only months away from the end of his training, he has his chance when his own mentor, Sir Dasroch, gives him the honor of riding in place of a knight on a borderland patrol. But the perfect dream […]
SPFBO XI Review: A Mage’s Mentor (Ucksil’s Folly) by Stephen Jarocki
I read this book as a judge for Fanfiaddict for SPFBO XI. These are my personal thoughts and do not represent the thoughts of the whole team. Synopsis: A Mage’s Mentor is a debut fantasy novel that is the first book in the Ucksil’s Folly series. The story follows Sinccah, an ambitious young mage in […]
Review: The Curse of Dragon Tail Island: A Pirate Fantasy Adventure by Jonathan Nevair
Synopsis Set sail with the Salty Scoundrels in this swashbuckling pirate fantasy—a rollicking tale of clashing cutlasses, monsters and magic, and high seas adventure. A once-legendary pirate and his loyal crew risk uncharted waters for a chance at freedom, treasure, and glory. Captain James R. Hawk, aka Trusty Jack, and his Salty Scoundrels are do-gooder […]
SPFBO XI Review: Threadbound by M.E. Moirin
Synopsis: When a powerful vizier curses Jasna, a red thread draws her toward his palace while death follows close behind. Her soul, bound to stone, begins to splinter until a desperate spell casts her into Syanka, a realm shaped by old stories. To reclaim what was stolen and rescue Iliya, once her betrothed, who begged […]
Review: Cold Silver for Souls (Shadesilver #1) by Tori Tecken
Synopsis Bounty Hunter. Necromancer. Outcast.She goes on the hunt when the law doesn’t want to get its hands dirty. Born and bred in the harsh northern winters, Hunter collects bounties on thieves and murderers for a handful of coin, dragging Rip, her animated corpse, behind her. Trust wears thin in the wild Territories, and the […]
Review: Vengeance is our Legacy by M.C. Burnell
Synopsis: The difference between justice and revenge may come down to having a friend. The Tabbaqeran Empire is defended by the Scolate, governed by the Illiumate, guided by the Hakam; its people worship and quarrel with a thousand-thousand gods. But there are none more revered than the masters of martial arts who serve as living […]