Overall this series has been rife with full tilt action, character and magic badassery, camaraderie moments to die for, and plenty of soft, humorous, and quiet snippets between duos or trios that warm your chest. Cameron’s world has been one that is truly so rich and evocative, borrowing from a cultural setting that isn’t used often enough in fiction.
Sword and Sorcery
Review: The Blacktongue Thief (Blacktongue #1) by Christopher Buehlman
This book is absolutely *hilarious*, mostly in a darkly comedic sort of way mind you. Truly, I found myself chuckling right from the first pages at Kinch’s snark and commentary. Sometimes I caught myself laughing really loud too and that was definitely what I wanted as a low effort read these days.
Review: Split Paths (Fall of Emros #2) by Thomas J. Devens
Split Paths is the second installment in Thomas Devens’ Fall of Emros series. It follows members of the Emrosian Empire, as they navigate their way through war-ridden lands and dangerous territory. The story is written in the style of Epic Fantasy, but I do not think the scope is quite enough to be considered Epic. I would categorize it more as Classic Fantasy, bordering on Epic.
Review: The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson
aisle of a specific section in a library. You grab several large volumes to return to your table and your extensive research thesis you’ve been working on for years. You sit down and in front of you lays a thousand-book-pages book, and you sift through every page, drinking the excitement of investigation and glancing at sketches, pictures and schematics of times of old, slowly taking notes and drawing your own conclusions. This is how I felt while I was reading The Way of Kings. A rich study about an extensive world name Roshar with interesting characters and their history. Even after the first 1000 pages of this grossly engaging and epic adventure (4000-5000 pages total), I felt like I only scratched the surface.
Review: Seven Deaths of an Empire by G.R. Matthews
Seven Deaths of an Empire is a new standalone fantasy novel from author G.R. Matthews. It is being billed as grimdark and comparable to George R.R. Martin; however, I would not make those comparisons, myself – at least not to Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. To me, this would closer to old-fashioned, classic fantasy.
Review: Stone & Shield (Fall of Emros #1) by Thomas J. Devens
Stone & Shield is the first release in Thomas J. Devens’ Fall of Emros series. It was written in a classical fantasy style and in multiple POVs. I like the story, and I think the writing is technically very sound.
Review: The Shadow of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga #1) by John Gwynne
The Shadow of the Gods is the first book in John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn Saga, and if it is any indication as to how the rest of the series is going to go, readers are in for quite a treat. I enjoyed this book immensely.
Review: The Unbroken (Magic of the Lost #1) by C.L. Clark
didn’t. In fact, I was thoroughly surprised with this book. C.L. Clark drags you into a rich world filled with political intrigue and a slew of raw relationships in between opposing characters.
Blog Tour: Holes in the Veil (The Goblets Immortal #2) by Beth Overmyer
Holes in the Veil epitomizes the classic middle book of a series: it expands the world and introduces some new characters and a bit of a mini-narrative while continuing with overall narrative for the main protagonists, as well. That is not to say it is boring or overly trope-y, because it is not. Holes in the Veil takes The Goblets Immortal series to a new level, and I was very happy in the direction of story.