Synopsis: Nearly a thousand years ago, the tyrant-sorcerer Mordechai betrayed his people, forged a weapon of darkness, and led an assault against the Middle Kingdoms to claim the throne of Reality. He slaughtered the defenders, broached the Shimmering Door, ascended to the Unseen Realm, and sought to make himself a god at the Heart of […]
High Fantasy
Review: The Last Vigilant (Kingdom of Oak and Steel #1) by Mark A. Latham
Synopsis: Set in a world where magic is forgotten, monsters lurk in the dark woods, and honorable soldiers are few, this utterly gripping epic fantasy tells the story of two flawed humans, an out-of-practice wizard and a hot-headed sargent, who are thrust into the heart of a mystery that threatens to unravel their kingdom’s fragile […]
Book Review: Crueler Mercies by Maren Chase
TL;DR Review: Rapunzel meets Man in the Iron Mask. A helpless, naïve prisoner becomes a cunning, revenge-driven queen. Synopsis: “Vita’s rage overflowed until she was prepared to drown in it, and she knew that she would never again dam this anger to please another.” After nine years as the people’s beloved princess in the sun-soaked […]
Review: World of Warcraft: The Voices Within Short Story Collection
Synopsis: From deep beneath the surface of Azeroth, a mysterious voice cries out for heroes. But before these brave souls heed the call, they must answer to their own voices within . . . . • Anduin’s wanderings at last lead him to the solitude he seeks, until his peace is shattered in a heartrending […]
Review: The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
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 new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters, and the mission he is tasked with will require bloody […]
Review: Anji Kills A King (The Rising Tide #1) by Evan Leikam
Synopsis: An unlikely assassin struggles to escape a legendary bounty hunter in this breakneck fantasy debut that will grab you by the throat—perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, R.F. Kuang, and Christopher Buehlman. She killed for a cause. Will she die for it too? Anji works as a castle servant, cleaning laundry for a king […]
Review: The Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts
Synopsis: Let each who reads determine the good and the evil for himselfAthera is besieged by the Mistwraith, which blights the land and dims the mysteries guarded by the last fugitives of the old bloodlines.But from a prophecy springs hope: the gifts of two brothers – one dark, one fair, raised on opposite sides of […]
Review: The Floating World (The Floating World #1) by Axie Oh
Synopsis From Axie Oh, the New York Times-bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone in this romantic fantasy reimagining the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens. Sunho lives in the Under World, a land of perpetual darkness. An ex-soldier, he can remember little of his life from […]
Review: The Rest to the Gods (The Song of the Sleepers #0.5) by Joshua Walker
The introduction to Joshua Walker’s epic fantasy series, this is a story of political unrest and self acceptance—all in a stunning and original setting.
Review: Majordomo by Tim Carter
Summary: A plucky underdog. A powerful necromancer. And the idiot heroes bent on killing them. Kobolds are supposed to run away—it’s what they’re best at. But Jack? Born with a club foot, he’s had to adapt. Resilient and clever, he clawed his way to respectability as majordomo of a premiere subterranean estate. He even found […]
Review: A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett
Synopsis The brilliant detective Ana Dolabra may have finally met her match in the gripping sequel to The Tainted Cup—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy. In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his […]
Review: The Crimson Fire (Memories of Kenjir Book 1) by Abel Montero
Synopsis Gods walk among men, but the empire they have forged is on the brink of collapse. As whispers of rebellion grow louder, Ensin Andik uncovers a sinister plot that threatens the very foundation of the divine reign. Every discovery pulls him deeper into a dangerous web, forcing him to confront truths that could shatter his unshakeable […]