e Age of Madness trilogy. The Wisdom of Crowds started off at such a heightened state of terror that it caused my neck to prickle with anxiety from the beginning. This novel takes off at breakneck speed and does not let up. It might be one of the most brutal Abercrombie books that I’ve read. Honestly, this whole trilogy took off into a level of brutality that is a completely new flavor than the previous novels. That’s saying something— Abercrombie is well known for his unbridled savagery in his writing. It was chaotic, messy, heartbreaking, and a hell of a ride
Dark Fantasy
Review: The Mad Trinkets by Cameron Scott Kirk
Synopsis Five otherworldly metal trinkets. Six former brothers in arms, one a madman who will stop at nothing to use the power of the trinkets to wreak his vengeance upon the land. When the renowned warrior Brynhild Grimsdotter and her biographer, William Barding, rescue a young girl chased down by King Bruwaert’s men, they find […]
Review: The World Maker Parable (Adjacent Monsters #1) by Luke Tarzian
Rhona is a faithful servant of the country Jémoon and a woman in love. Everything changes when her beloved sets the ravenous Vulture goddess loose upon the land. Forced to execute the woman she loves for committing treason, Rhona discovers a profound correlation between morality and truth. A connection that might save her people or annihilate them all…
Review: The World Maker Parable (Adjacent Monsters #1) by Luke Tarzian
Having read Tarzian’s freshman effort, I thought I had an idea of what to expect going into this one, a dark and twisted, mind-bending examination of the human psyche. And, to be fair, that’s mostly what I found. What surprised me, however, is how intimately I connected with the “parable” within.
Review: Gunmetal Gods (Gunmetal Gods #1) by Zamil Akhtar
I first noticed this book a while back when I spotted the cover on Twitter. Who can blame me, right? It’s astounding and really sets up the tone of the whole book. Gunmetal Gods is pretty dark and fairly bleak at that. But, it works. This is a tale of grief, revenge, ambition, religious zealotry, and rage. It’s a military fantasy based on Middle Eastern history, especially that of the Ottoman Empire and the Crusades, with a distinctly Lovecraftian twist.
Blog Tour Review: Legacy of Light (The Legacy Trilogy #3) by Matthew Ward
Sometimes I struggle with reviews of series finales because I find it difficult to find something new to say. I have already spoken at-length about characters, plot, setting, writing style, emotional connection, etc. I try to stay away from repeating myself too much, because who wants to read that? (By the way, if you want to read my previous reviews, you can find them here: The Legacy of Ash (Book 1); The Legacy of Steel (Book 2).
Review: The House of Always (A Chorus of Dragons #4) by Jenn Lyons
The House of Always is book 4 in Jenn Lyons’ A Chorus of Dragons series, and I am just going to come out and say it: I loved this book. Not like, “hey y’all, this is a really good book”. Nope.
I. Loved. This. Book.
Review: The Memory of Souls (A Chorus of Dragons #3) by Jenn Lyons
The Memory of Souls is book 3 in Jenn Lyons’ A Chorus of Dragon series. It marks the middle book of the set, and in many ways functions as most middle books do.
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: These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights #1) by Chloe Gong
Nearly a decade after taking mandatory Elizabethan-era English literature classes in university, the iambic pentameter of William Shakespeare has crept back into my life. Unexpectedly though, it came in the form of Chloe Gong’s debut novel, These Violent Delights. Set in 1920s Shanghai, this tale of star-crossed (ex)lovers twists a knife into Shakespeare’s famous tragedy—it weaves familiar story beats with unexpected turns as Roma and Juliette, the two heirs to rival crime families, navigate intense hostilities, foreign colonizers, a strange and deadly contagion, as well as their past romance. As tension and chaos in Shanghai builds toward a fever pitch, the two become entangled again in ways that fuel the story (to both good and middling results). Question is, to what end? The above warning of Friar Laurence to Romeo in Romeo and Juliet rings ever true: such fiery delight—a connection consumed by fire and powder—is likely to end in disaster.
Review: Seven Deaths Of An Empire by G.R. Matthews
So if you truly enjoy a conspiracy, politically driven fiction Roman novel, Seven Deaths Of An Empire is an impressive addition to your list and fans of Roman times and grimdark will get a blast with this book.
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.