Synopsis: Druss, Captain of the Ax, is the stuff of legends. Tales of his battles are told throughout the land, and the stories expand with each telling. But Druss himself grows older, until finally, the warrior turns his back on glory and retreats to his mountain lair. There he awaits his old enemy: death. But […]
Heroic Fantasy
Book Review: The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
TL;DR Review: Razor-sharp dialogue, a wildly imaginative alt-history fantasy world, and wonderfully extravagant characters result in what may be Joe Abercrombie’s best work to date. Synopsis: 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 […]
Review: Bloodless by G.J. Terral, book 3 of The Binding Tenets
Synopsis: No less blood is shed when bonds become broken. Threats come from all sides as Ladrican ships wait off the coast and a mysterious untethered threat becomes impossible to ignore. Lin is pushed to breaking as he struggles to stall Ladrica’s assault. War is upon Danica, but like an infection allowed to fester, the […]
Review: Relentless Blades (Vol.1 of The Prophecies of Zarune) by Russell Carroll
Synopsis: Cross the wrong men and meet their blades! In a rugged frontier town, two broken men wander aimlessly–Grimlock, a tormented soul despised by the townspeople he protects, searches for a brother he may never find, while Vigilanton, a disgraced knight bound by shame, serves a vicious crime lord. The Vragoths’ arrival–brutal conquerors seeking an […]
Review: The Waking of Storm and Flame by N.A. Betts
Summary: A DESTINY SHE NEVER CHOSE. A FATE, SHE CAN’T ESCAPE. Alira Verbrandt, the Princess of Namelle, savored the scholastic tranquility of her life until the Illyrian Empire descended from the north. On the eve of battle, Alira is drawn into the center of a war that has raged for a thousand years. Unveiled as […]
Review: Wearing the Lion by John Wiswell
Synopsis This second novel from Nebula Award-winning John Wiswell brings a humanizing, redemptive touch to the Hercules story in this mythological fantasy for fans of Jennifer Saint and Elodie Harper Heracles, hero of Greece, dedicates all his feats to Hera, goddess of family. Heracles’ mother raised him to revere Hera, as her attempt to avoid […]
Review: Of Empires and Dust (The Bound and the Broken #4) by Ryan Cahill
Synopsis: The balance of power in Epheria is shifting. Gods are waking. The world is burning. Ashes and dust are all that will remain. Review: Firstly, Hello. The below is entirely spoiler free. This will be the first piece of writing that makes its way to a public space in roughly two years, so I […]
Book Review: Legend of Uh by Aaron N. Hall
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 […]
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, […]