If you follow me on Twitter or we talk in any capacity you’ll know that I’ve become somewhat of a broken record recently. Truthfully, I’ve been kicking myself for the past few weeks over having waited this long to start this series! As Dan says above, We are the Dead and The Last War trilogy as a whole is an absolute must read. Mike Shackle has to be one of the most criminally underrated authors currently writing.
Dark Fantasy
Review: The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne
The Book of Gothel is beautifully woven, and full of depth and compassion. It’s adventurous, and manages to be classic and modern all at once, giving life to Mother Gothel.
Review: Sons of Darkness (The Raag of Rta #1) by Gourav Mohanty
Synopsis A brilliantly imaginative talent makes his exciting debut with this epic grimdark fantasy saga inspired by ancient Indian epic Mahabharata and filled with treachery, war and vengeance, in the tradition of Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen Series and George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire Series. SOME BALLADS ARE INKED […]
Review: Until The Last (The Last War #3) by Mike Shackle
Synopsis: ‘Staggering, marvellous and gripping’ Grimdark Magazine ‘An adventure that’s rich in darkness and bloodshed’ SFX THE TIME HAS COME.SEKINOWARI – THE LAST WAR – HAS ARRIVED. The breakneck conclusion to the trilogy that started with We Are the Dead. To beat the ultimate evil, sometimes the price is more than you can pay . […]
Review: The Last Wish (The Witcher #0.5) by Andrzej Sapkowski
Synopsis Geralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. But not everything […]
Review: Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
A darkly magnificent retelling of The Juniper Tree.
Review: Sons of Darkness (The Raag of Rta, #1) by Gourav Mohanty
Sons of darkness smashes open the fountain of originality, spilling insidious plot, incredible characters, and grim violence. I loved this book. Described as the Indian ASoIaF, it has feuding families, politics, war, and deceit in equal measures, but tops this with inspired world-building and a plot that starts as embers and ends as a blazing inferno.
Review: King of Battle and Blood (Adrian X Isolde #1) by Scarlett St. Clair
St. Clair’s story fits within a few great romance tropes, such as marriage of convenience and enemies to lovers, but it also employs some of my favorite tropes across any genre, for instance wrong/fake history being revealed for what it was, misconceptions being broken down, and an epic revenge story revealed gradually with great effect.
Review: The Blood of Outcasts (The Bane Sword Saga #1) by D.A. Smith
Masako is a flawed, angry, and desperate person in a dogged pursuit of redemption for her fallen clan. The depths to which she’ll sink to achieve her goal and the questionable methods she uses to get there ultimately make her a compelling, if unlikable character. With twists and turns as sharp as Masako’s katana and a blistering pace that will leave you breathless, The Blood of Outcasts is a must-read for fans of Japanese-inspired fantasy. The tale of the Dattori Clans’ downfall and Masako’s rage-filled quest to restore her Master’s honor will leave its mark on your soul, as it has mine.
Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham
A creepy tale about meeting your favorite childhood characters and fighting for your life.
Review: Equinox by David Towsey
Synopsis Everyone is not as they seem in this fantasy novel, replete with war, witchcraft and secrets. Christophor Morden lives in a world where everybody changes with the rising and setting of the sun. For every person contains two distinct identities – a day brother and a night brother. One never sees the light, the […]
Review: The Discord of Gods (A Chorus of Dragons #5) by Jenn Lyons
The Discord of Gods is the 5th and final release in Jenn Lyons’ A Chorus of Dragons series. This is the book I have been anticipating most in 2022, and I could not wait to read it. Now that I have I am excited to tell you exactly how fabulous it is.