Play of Shadows is many things, just like its crew of colourful characters, but most of all, it is a fast-paced joy-ride from start to finish, filled to the brim with swashbuckling action, multilayered protagonists, bombastic and/or bawdy personalities, and self-aware melodrama, that is in no way held back by the dark events and ominous foes it presents.
Epic Fantasy
Review: The Blackest Heart (The Five Warrior Angels Trilogy #2) by Brian Lee Durfee
Synopsis Gladiator. Assassin. Thief. Princess. And the Slave. The Five Warrior Angels have been revealed, one by one the mystical weapons they once wielded are being found, and an ancient prophecy is finally being fulfilled. Or is it? For when it comes to recorded history, much is intended to manipulate and deceive. Returning to the […]
Review: Magic of Lies (The Altira Series #1) by Joyce Gee
Synopsis: Princess Eirian Altira has always walked on a knife’s edge with flowers chasing her footsteps. Born with magic, she struggles to balance her ability to give life with the desire to kill. Raised by mages, the day comes when she must return home to a kingdom she left as a child, and a father […]
Review: Return of the Crimson Guard (Novels of the Malazan Empire #2) by Ian C. Esslemont
Synopsis: The returning mercenary Crimson Guard are sworn to oppose the Empire. Some elite Avowed scheme to open paths to power. Ascendants, ancient powerful entities, seek to exploit all sides for gain. “Traveller”, a swordsman, and his companion Ereko, confront successive enemies until the last from which none have returned. “Old Hands”, generals and mages […]
Book Review: Play of Shadows (Court of Shadows #1) by Sebastian de Castell
TL;DR: True to the spirit of the Greatcoats, but fresh and unique. Thrilling, complex, and absolutely addictive. Synopsis: Swordplay, magic, intrigue and friendships stronger than iron: the first volume in the new swashbuckling fantasy series set in the universe of THE GREATCOATS. Damelas Chademantaigne picked a poor night to flee a judicial duel. He has […]
Review: Ruins of Smoke: (The Smokesmiths # 0.5) by João F. Silva
Synopsis The Usharian Empire rules the Known World with an iron fist. Imperials protect their world from the tainted hand of the Deceiver, but he is back with an avatar capable of breaking the Empire and grounding humanity into ash. JEHA is a sentinel of the Empire, willing to fight and die for kinship and duty. […]
Review: Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu
FROM THE ASHES OF AN EMPIRE, A HERO WILL RISE… ‘A dazzlingly epic and richly complex world of dragons, magic, and rebellion’ Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night ‘A classic fantasy adventure that reminds me of the novels I loved growing up, but with a flair of cultivation from the novels […]
Review: The Silverblood Promise (The Last Legacy #1) by James Logan
Logan’s debut is proof of a grand new entry among the ranks of epic fantasy and I cannot wait for more people to read this and enjoy its imperfect but lovable characters and rich worldbuilding!
Review: Where Shadows Lie (The Last Gift: Arc one #1) by Allegra Pescatore
Synopsis The Chosen One is dead. Only his sister can take his place. Disabled since childhood, Elenor was content to live in her brother’s shadow, besting her cousins at cards and sneaking her girlfriend into her room at night. Now she’s next in line for the throne and beset on all sides by factions out […]
Stone And Sky: Book One of The Stone And Sky series by Z.S. Diamanti
Synopsis Orin is a sworn protector. As a stalwart member of the Griffin Guard, he’s proud to protect the kingdom against a dreaded nation of orcs. But when the fires of war burn bright from the north, his entire squadron falls to deadly wyvern riders, leaving the devastated Orin bloody and alone. Orin teams up […]
Review: The Faded Dragon (The Twin Worlds Saga #1) by Cameron Michaels
Synopsis Peace is a frail thing, but the truth is even frailer. Epic fantasy with a twist of mystery . . .The old war between the dragons and elves has long been over, and Deerium has entered a new age. The humans have taken hold and the last fragment of days gone by, known as […]
Review: The Forgetting Moon (The Five Warrior Angels Trilogy #1) by Brian Lee Durfee
Synopsis A massive army on the brink of conquest looms large in a world where prophecies are lies, magic is believed in but never seen, and hope is where you least expect to find it. Welcome to the Five Isles, where war has come in the name of the invading army of Sør Sevier, a […]