A boy has lived his whole life trapped within a vast library, older than empires and larger than cities. A girl has spent hers in a tiny settlement out on the Dust where nightmares stalk and no one goes. The world has never even noticed them. That’s about to change. Their stories spiral around each […]
Grimdark
Review: Seeds of War by João F. Silva [The Smokesmiths #1]
Exactly the right amount of grit and smoke-fuelled fantasy that makes Seeds of Way feel like the start of a chest-burningly solid series.
The Fangs of War (The Blood and Steel Saga #1) by E.J. Doble
Synopsis After the brutal execution of Provenci’s King by the roving forces of Tarraz, a new military government vaults into power with the nefarious Alvarez at the helm. Hell-bent on bloodshed and the glory of an imperial past, he amasses the largest army seen in a generation and plunges the two nations into a bloody […]
Book Review: A Shade of Madness (The Ashes of Avarin, Book 2) by Thiago Abdalla
Synopsis Avarin tumbles into madness through the shattered ruin of a centuries-old peace. As griffin riders clash against airships above and hordes of madmen below, Lynn finds herself surrounded by enemies. Ones that will test the limits of her faith. To defeat them, she must risk everything… including her sanity. Adrian has lost the Legion, […]
Review: The Daughters of Izdihar (The Alamaxa Duology #1) by Hadeer Elsbai
SYNOPSIS: From debut author Hadeer Elsbai comes the first book in an incredibly powerful new duology, set wholly in a new world, but inspired by modern Egyptian history, about two young women–Nehal, a spoiled aristocrat used to getting what she wants and Giorgina, a poor bookshop worker used to having nothing–who find they have far […]
Book Spotlight: The Holy Grail War by Armanis Ar-Feinial
Welcome to a Book Spotlight here on Fanfiaddict. Today we’re talking about The Holy Grail War series by Armanis Ar-Feinial, a grimdark urban fantasy filled with magical realism! Book 2, The Nihilistic Neverending Nightmare, is out now! Book 1 Blurb A Heist, a Manhunt, and a Veteran who just can’t catch a break. Eight years […]
The Trials of Ashmount (Tragedy of Cedain #1) by John Palladino
SYNOPSIS Cedain is destined to collapse. Across a world rife with blood, betrayal, and brutality, five people wade through unexpected tragedies. An egotistical student, a fleeing refugee, a nomadic warrior, a fallen noble, and a criminal in hiding navigate the sinister dealings of politicians, two sudden wars, and nefarious lies that surface at Ashmount-a university […]
Review: The First Binding (Tales of Tremaine #1)
Synopsis: All legends are born of truths. And just as much lies. These are mine. Judge me for what you will. But you will hear my story first. I buried the village of Ampur under a mountain of ice and snow. Then I killed their god. I’ve stolen old magics and been cursed for it. […]
Review: The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdoms #1)
Synopsis: One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne.The other is a priestess searching for her family.Together, they will change the fate of an empire. Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of powerful magic […]
The Garden of Empire (Pact and Pattern #2) by J.T Greathouse
Synopsis: J.T. Greathouse continues his Pact and Pattern fantasy series, hailed by New York Times bestselling author Anthony Ryan as “a captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition.” The boy once known as Wen Alder has become the rebel witch Foolish Cur. Schooled in both the powers that bound him to serve the emperor as well […]
Review: Tasmanian Gothic by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky
Synopsis A modern gothic thriller set in a decaying urban environment and lush mutant wilderness. Solari wasn’t alive when the ozone layer split like a gutted fish above Tasmania and spilled radiation over the edge of the stratosphere, but she’s living with the consequences — the mutations, the gangland war, and the border wall that […]
Review: Locklands (The Founders Trilogy #3) by Robert Jackson Bennett
I’m going to start this review with a bold statement: Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Founders Trilogy is one of the best modern fantasy series. Period. From the opening chapter of Foundryside to the closing paragraph of Locklands, the trilogy astounds with its rich history, evocative worldbuilding, complex magic and fearless character development. Out of every book I have read this year, Locklands hit me the hardest. It rocked me to my core, in the best possible way, and that tangle of emotions has lingered with me ever since.