The Justice in Revenge is the second installment in Ryan Van Loan’s The Fall of the Gods series, and if you want to know more about book 1 (The Sin in the Steel) you can find my review at this link. Suffice to say, I thought it quite a jaunt and found myself really looking forward to book 2. Now that it is here I can say with confidence: The Justice in Revenge does not disappoint.
Adventure Fantasy
Review: Sidewinders (The Fire Sacraments #2) by Robert V. S. Redick
Sidewinders by Robert V.S. Redick, is the awaited sequel to Master Assassins and continuation of the Fire Sacraments series. I’d heard nothing but great things about this book, and I can confirm, its exceptional.
Review: The Wood Bee Queen by Edward Cox
The Wood Bee Queen by Edward Cox is a standalone fantasy reminiscent of old folktales sprinkled with classic fantasy tropes and some Ancient Greek/Roman mythology homages (or Easter eggs if you like). It is also a portal fantasy, which I haven’t read in quite some time, and that definitely catered to some of the nostalgia from my early teens. Through it, Cox tackles timeless themes of good vs evil, blind religious faith, petty/whimsical gods, and the importance of stories, as well as making one’s own decisions without letting others sway you for their gain.
Review: Bright Steel (Masters & Mages #3) by Miles Cameron
Overall this series has been rife with full tilt action, character and magic badassery, camaraderie moments to die for, and plenty of soft, humorous, and quiet snippets between duos or trios that warm your chest. Cameron’s world has been one that is truly so rich and evocative, borrowing from a cultural setting that isn’t used often enough in fiction.
Review: The Blacktongue Thief (Blacktongue #1) by Christopher Buehlman
This book is absolutely *hilarious*, mostly in a darkly comedic sort of way mind you. Truly, I found myself chuckling right from the first pages at Kinch’s snark and commentary. Sometimes I caught myself laughing really loud too and that was definitely what I wanted as a low effort read these days.
Review: Split Paths (Fall of Emros #2) by Thomas J. Devens
Split Paths is the second installment in Thomas Devens’ Fall of Emros series. It follows members of the Emrosian Empire, as they navigate their way through war-ridden lands and dangerous territory. The story is written in the style of Epic Fantasy, but I do not think the scope is quite enough to be considered Epic. I would categorize it more as Classic Fantasy, bordering on Epic.
Review: Master Assassins (The Fire Sacraments #1) by Robert V. S. Redick
Master Assassins by Robert V.S. Redick has been in my TBR for quite a while. I’d first heard about it through Mark Lawrence with his glowing praise, and knowing how much I’d loved Senlin Ascends based on his review, I figured I’d like this as well. However, the cover and blurb never really stood out to me so it was never that high on my TBR.
A few years later, I started hearing praise heaped upon the sequel and several of my fellow bloggers recommend it, so I finally took the plunge. And wow, this book was fantastic.
Review: The Pariah (The Covenant of Steel #1) by Anthony Ryan
The Pariah is the first installment in Anthony Ryan’s latest series, The Covenant of Steel. This series is off to a really good start with tons of action, good writing flow, and a cast of characters that make story worth following.
Review: Sairo’s Claw (Gensokai #3) by Virginia McClain
Sairo’s Claw is the third installment in Virginia McClain’s Gensokai series, though each book is a standalone set in the same universe. I have not read the first two, but this book is adventurous and fun, with interesting storylines and complex, nuanced characters.
Review: Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
From beginning to end, Rebecca Roanhorse’s Black Sun is a stunning work of fantastical fiction. Bringing together inspiration from Pre-Columbian civilizations such as the Aztecs, Maya and various tribes and nations of Native Americans, there is a distinct sense of passion on display here. This is wholly evident in Roanhorse’s worldbuilding, but her characters are where Black Sun truly shines. And as the start to a trilogy called Between Earth and Sky, it is an epic start to what will surely become a memorable series in modern fantasy canon.
Review: The Blacktongue Thief (Blacktongue #1) by Christopher Buehlman
The first thing you notice when beginning The Blacktongue Thief is the narrative structure. Written in first person with fourth-wall breaking type style, it definitely takes a bit of an adjustment. However, I’m a huge fan of this form of writing. I’ve always enjoyed first person narrative but when it feels like someone is telling the story directly to YOU, it makes the book even more engaging. In fact, it took me longer to read this book than usual because I didn’t want to miss a word of what our protagonist Kinch is telling you.
Review: The Blacktongue Thief (Blacktongue #1) by Christopher Buehlman
The Blacktongue Thief is the first installment in Christopher Buehlman’s new Blacktongue series, published by Tor Books. I have to say I really love this book, as it has so many aspects of an adventure fantasy that I enjoy.