Synopsis Never trust other people’s memories, and watch out for your own. Sean Whittlesea was there when his wife was murdered. He saw the light leave her eyes. He held her dead body in his arms. He knows he wept, but he cannot recollect a single other detail. Tormented by the tragedy, Sean relives the […]
Reviews
Review: Servant Mage (#1) by Kate Elliot
Fellian is a Lamplighter, able to provide illumination through magic. A group of rebel Monarchists free her from indentured servitude and take her on a journey to rescue trapped compatriots from an underground complex of mines. Along the way they get caught up in a conspiracy to kill the latest royal child and wipe out […]
Review: Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
Synopsis Hessa is an Eangi: a battle-hardened priestess of the Goddess of War, with the power to turn an enemy’s bones to dust with a scream. Banished for disobeying her goddess’s command to murder a traveller, she prays for forgiveness—but while she is gone, raiders burn her town to the ground. Grieving and alone, Hessa—the […]
Review: The Light Years by R.W.W. Greene
An Amazon ‘Editor’s Pick’ for Best Science Fiction and Fantasy! Published by: Angry Robot Books (2020)400 pgsAudio: 7hs 38 minNarrators: Roisin Rankin, George Weightman Synopsis: A long-lost battleship and an arranged marriage may hold the key to faster-than-light travel and humanity’s future in R.W.W. Greene’s debut The Light Years Hisako Saski was born with her […]
Review: Mouse Trap (Clay Wolfe/Port Essex Mystery #3) by Matt Cost
Clay Wolfe and crew are back with another round of hijinks, thanks to author Matt Cost. I have liked this series because of the shenanigans, the budding romance, the action sequences, the sexy scenes, and the fun, ridiculous narratives. Sometimes, it is fun just to get lost in a trope-y mystery, and Mouse Trap provides just that.
Review: Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer
I’m a massive Jeff VanderMeer fan. His Southern Reach trilogy is one of my all-time favorite series, as are his Ambergris novels. That said, he’s not for everyone. I know that—I accept that. His brand of “new weird” can be pretty far-out a lot of the time, especially when he veers into a more literary writing style. So, when I heard of Hummingbird Salamander, I was surprised that he was leaning more mainstream with this near-future eco-thriller. I couldn’t help but think, how this was going to straddle the line between his longtime fans and those who were new to his work and/or intimidated by it? And the result? VanderMeer does manage to straddle that line effectively, telling an overall great story with a few hiccups and stumbles along the way.
Review: The Emperor’s Blades (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne #1) by Brian Staveley
Synopsis Great intrigues take place in secret in the kingdom and the reigning emperor is treacherously murdered. All the responsibility now rests on the shoulders of his two sons, Kaden and Valyn, and on the shoulders of his daughter Adare. The siblings have not seen each other for some years, as each child receives a […]
Review: Midnight in Everwood by M. A. Kuzniar
Midnight in Everwood is a great wintery read that calls for you to cosy up with a blanket and read it while your mug of hot chocolate or mulled wine cools down beside you.
Review: Battle of the Linguist Mages by Scotto Moore
Published by: Tordotcom Jan 11 2022Length: 448 pgsAudiobook: 17 hrs and 14 minsNarrated by Justis Bolding Synopsis: “It reads like Snow Crash had a dance-off with Gideon the Ninth, in a world where language isn’t a virus from outer space, it’s a goddamn alien invasion.” —Charles StrossIsobel is the Queen of the medieval rave-themed VR […]
Review: The Justice of Kings (Empire of the Wolf #1) by Richard Swan
Synopsis From a major new debut author in epic fantasy comes the first book in a trilogy where action, intrigue, and magic collide. The Justice of Kings introduces an unforgettable protagonist destined to become a fantasy icon: Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice, who is a detective, judge, and executioner all in one. But these are dangerous […]
Review: The Isle of a Thousand Worlds (The Weirdwater Confluence, Book 2) by Dan Fitzgerald
Synopsis An aging alchemist seeks the key to the Universal Tincture said to unlock the Thousand Worlds of the Mind, but she never expected to solve the riddle of the hermetic heart. A meditation acolyte travels the mystical social media known as the Caravan and finds that the Thousand Worlds lie just below the surface, […]
The Spirit War (The Legend of Eli Monpress #4) by Rachel Aaron
Synopsis Your favorite thief Eli Monpress, mercenary Josef, and demon seed Nico continue their adventures throughout the Council Kingdoms as insidious forces conspire to tear the land apart from within. Meanwhile, a looming threat approaches from beyond the horizon that is gonna take not only this band of thieves, but also the aid of Miranda […]