TL;DR Review: Fun, easy-reading adventure with an upbeat, humorous flavor. Enjoyable and suitable for all ages. Synopsis: Sir Dashing Junior was only knighted because they couldn’t knight his father twice. Now he’s determined to prove he’s worthy of his new title. With an aspiring ranger, an awkward friar, and a book-loving orc, DJ will venture across […]
Heroic Fantasy
Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentlemen Bastard #1) by Scott Lynch
Synopsis An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most […]
Review: Combat Monsters: Untold Tales of World War II edited by Henry Herz
Synopsis Combat Monsters brings together twenty award-winning and bestselling speculative fiction authors who each bring their own spin on an alternate history of World War II. New research has uncovered deeply buried military secrets—both the Allied and Axis special operations during World War II included monsters. Did the Soviets use a dragon to win the […]
Book Review: A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay
TL;DR Review: Beautifully lush writing, noble and compelling characters, and a story that takes its time to build to an emotional ending. Synopsis: From the critically-acclaimed author of The Fionavar Tapestry comes an epic fantasy novel of love, both courtly and forbidden, and two kingdoms endlessly opposed… Blaise of Gorhaut is a warrior. He fought […]
Review: Wind and Truth (Book 5 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
Synopsis Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare—and the sudden ascension of the crafty and ruthless Taravangian to take Odium’s place has thrown everything into disarray. Desperate fighting continues simultaneously worldwide—Adolin in Azir, […]
Review: How to Become The Dark Lord And Die Trying (Dark Lord Davi #1) by Django Wexler
Synopsis Groundhog Day meets Deadpool in Django Wexler’s raunchy, hilarious, blood-splattered fantasy tale about a young woman who, tired of defending humanity from the Dark Lord, decides to become the Dark Lord herself. Davi has done this all before. She’s tried to be the hero and take down the all-powerful Dark Lord. A hundred times […]
REVIEW: The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
SYNOPSIS A brand-new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie, featuring a notorious band of anti-heroes on a delightfully bloody and raucous journey Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds. Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock […]
Review: The Ranger by EH Bradley
Synopsis Newly-trained ranger, Eraden has only just earned his greatsword when he is assigned to the tutelage of wizard Firadel. When the wizard receives a missive by messenger crow that trouble in the city of Hemavale, he assembles Eraden and an adventuring party to answer the call and follow in the footsteps of his father. […]
Series Review: The Dark Elf Trilogy (The Legend of Drizzt) by R. A. Salvatore
The tales and adventures of Drizzt Do’Urden, famed and infamous Dark Elf of who this series gets its name, are a beloved classic adored by many fantasy readers since the late 80’s. And for today’s ramblings by yours truly, we go right back to the beginning…
Book Review Fury of the Gods (Bloodsworn Saga #3) by John Gwynne
TL;DR: An insanely epic conclusion to one of my favorite series of the year. High-stakes, fast-paced, gripping action and satisfying emotional resolutions across the board. Synopsis: The Fury of the Gods is the earth-shattering final book in John Gwynne’s bestselling Norse-inspired epic fantasy series, packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance. The final battle for […]
Book Review: Gift of the Shaper (Highglade Series #1) by DL Jennings
TL;DR Review: Familiar-feeling classic high fantasy with some wonderfully surprising twists. Synopsis: Armies will clash and gods will die… For thousands of years, the Breaker of the Dawn has been locked away in the ethereal plane of the Otherworld. Now, a young blacksmith’s apprentice finds himself trapped in a war between the noble Athrani, a […]
Book Review: The Pale City (Rites of Resurrection #1) by Marshall J. Moore
TL;DR Review: Lightning-fast plot, richly colorful world, and heart-pounding action. Roman/Greek Republic colored with African-inspired culture and magic. Synopsis: Only the dead can save the living. In Albastine, the dead are made into mindless servants known as Attendants, incapable of harming the living unless commanded to by the soldier-necromancer Legates. Forced into an early retirement, […]