Now that the first ever year of SFINCS is drawing to a close, I wanted to put together my own post collecting all of the novellas I read throughout the competition. I will re-share each read’s full review, with links to the originals (linked on the actual word ‘review‘ if I shared one to the blog) and where to buy. For (probably) the final time, I am part of team JamReads, and I am just posting here to boost the championship and amazing authors! Jamedi was a fantastic team lead, keeping us on track, treating each round fairly, and keeping us motivated with his selfless boosting of all things indie. If you don’t already, check out his Twitter and give him a follow, and keep an eye on his blog.
So, if I recall correctly, the entire competition came about by a few (awesome) people kicking around the idea of making a competition similar to SPFBO/SPSFC that would cater to those pieces of fiction that were perhaps too short to qualify for the others. Those folks (through probably tons of background work I know nothing about) created SFINCS and the rest is history. Check out the championship site here and follow their Twitter for updates!
Synopsis
Joy desires nothing more than her husband’s happiness. She spends her days creating the perfect life for him in their idyllic suburban home. Everything is neat, predictable, and in its place.
When Joy finds a picture that hints at a past she cannot remember, the facade cracks. As secrets are revealed, Joy realizes her blissful life is crumbling and to find herself, she must first lose herself.
Perfect, after all, is only an illusion.
Read this one as a finalist in SFINCS, however I already owned the kindle version! Read it in a single sitting while having some trouble focusing, so this was a real good one.
While this one was rather short, I was surprised how long into the story it felt when it finally took a turn into the sci-fi direction. Beforehand I wasn’t sure if the story was just going to remain about a dysfunctional relationship or not. While it still is, the twist definitely elevated it to another level for me.
Joy lives her life anticipating her husbands every desire. And it comes naturally. Breakfast and coffee, quiet mornings, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, and gardening. All for the man she loved. But there’s something big that Joy doesn’t know.
As the story unfolds, Joy looks to capture a new sense of self. What makes her happy? How does she create that sense of self? And do the things that always made her feel whole actually do anything for her now? The author writes in such a way that every reader will be faced with asking themselves the same questions that Joy is faced with. And what makes any of us happy?
Now, I’ve said it before, and I’ll most definitely say it again, Sarah Chorn is the Queen of writing emotion. Every word she creates, every sentence, character, scene, is absolutely crushing. Not just beautiful prose, but truly deep and thoughtful writing.
Synopsis
Dogged by a digital ghost and his own murky past, he must scour the city to kill the killer … or lose the woman he loves.
Earth, post-Apocalypse. Thibault Allard is determined to save his wife. After he escapes the addictive virtual reality that enslaved them both, he works as a bounty hunter for their unsavoury captor to gain inside access and search for his beloved. But when the morally flexible immortal is handed a ruthless ultimatum, he derails his plans in order to pursue the man who terminated his boss’s spouse.
Getting close to the dangerous cult leader responsible for the woman’s death, he scrambles to survive after he’s captured and imprisoned. And thrown into a pit for a gladiatorial battle against a blood-lusting monster, Thibault fears he’ll die before he can rescue the bride he left behind.
Can he double down on his duty without losing the rest of his soul?
A Mirage in the Memory is the intriguing prequel novella to The Slip Saga science fiction fantasy series. If you like men who exist in the grey, suspenseful world-building, and engaging page-turners, then you’ll love Simon Tull’s hard-boiled detective mystery.
Review
The author had this up for free on kindle, so I grabbed it for a verified review.
This prequel novella caught me off guard. It’s not only a post apocalyptic story, but also a scifi/futuristic story. The blend of which worked really well for me. It also read as withholding information on purpose, rather than just waiting for the full length novel like some other prequels do, which I appreciated, and it definitely kept me wanting.
Our gritty main character, Thibault, will do anything to free his wife. Sometimes that grittiness made it a little hard to believe the loving/longing relationship he still holds for his wife, but I had to keep reminding myself that it’s also post apocalypse, so people change and do whatever they have to to survive. When faced with an ultimatum, a final job, one that forces him to do something practically suicidal or never see his wife again, of course he must agree.
I thought the stakes were high and mostly were delivered on. I do wish some of that withheld information was explained a bit more by the end, but it was certainly intriguing and would read more.
I would be remiss to not mention the main factor that detracted from my enjoyment of the book though, which took it from a solid 5* down a notch. At the end of the book, there is a call to action to sign up for the author’s newsletter to receive a bonus epilogue. Personally and unfortunately, to me, the epilogue comes post story, but is typically integral to the lead up to the following book. To me that makes it necessary reading, not a “bonus” and that lack of accessibility hurt it overall. Like receiving 90% of the book you thought you bought. So personally a 4/5* for me.
Synopsis
When two descendants of a formerly lost people suddenly reappear in Sol System, Kep, an inexperienced guide with few aspirations, is handed the task of showing them around… and figuring out their true motives. But convoluted bureaucracies, hungry corporations and corrupt guilds conspire to acquire any advantage in a technologically stagnant system. So when a secret is revealed, it’s up to Kep to make sure that it doesn’t land in the wrong hands.
Review
I did happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
This book takes place in the future. It is a science fiction based novella, and as it’s the future, there have been many shifts in the countries of the world and the major powers. This leads to an incredible amount of new names, as well as many abbreviations. This felt authentic for SF, but I was also definitely confused and flipping back and forth a bit.
The story follows the likable character of Kep, a guide to the new arrivals at the Sol system. I thought the idea of her shifting her appearance, personality, as well as her style to lighten the blow of arriving at a new place was very unique. And probably something that would genuinely happen as well. Some of these travelers have left home, never to return again, so waking up from stasis to something semi-familiar would definitely be a blessing.
The story takes on a kind of thriller vibe to it when a delegate from the (thought) long-lost Dacic has arrived. The powers of the Sol System covet their technology, so even though they intended to share them freely, no one in Sol wants to share.
This was an interesting and enjoyable novella, I do just wish the ending was a bit more definite. Personally a 3.5/5*
Synopsis
Adventuring looks so easy on paper, but in the real world, well…
MISADVENTUROUS is a series of fantasy-comedy novellas where adventuring is big business and accidentally burning down towns is just another day on the job.
Beden spent his entire childhood dreaming about becoming an adventurer, just like his hero, Proper John Gallant. When he left home and crossed paths with a mysterious warrior and a sometimes-competent wizard, he was sure he was on the right path. But adventuring is a tough business, and skeletons come in hordes, so now he’s more unsure than ever about his future.
Jyden set out on her own, adventuring to prove that she wasn’t just a product of her upbringing. The group she found was with a pair of strange siblings and a misplaced, somewhat forgettable pirate, but she figured her natural skills would pull them through. But the adventuring world is a harsh one, and a few mistakes have her questioning her choices.
Together, these two mismatched groups have to learn that to make a group more than the sum of its parts, it takes more than just a small failure in math. And unbeknownst to them all, forces are in play that will drag them, sometimes kicking and screaming, into the fate of the world itself.
Review
This is posed as humorous fantasy, and it certainly delivers just that. It’s enjoyable, witty, a little inappropriate, and adventurous. I love the idea of a team of adventurers just being awful at it. They may end up being in the right or wrong place at any given time, and lord only knows how they’ll fumble it. Beden just wants to prove himself. He just can’t seem to get things right. Oz, his wizard companion, cannot keep his pants on long enough to cast a spell, and his remaining partner is all brawn and no brains. So when they get buddied up with another group led by Jyden, they can’t seem to mesh. She’s hard headed, determined to lead, and breaking the group apart with her personality.
The character work is fun, with witty banter, and each person being unique in their own abilities (if you can call them that). My only gripe is that as it’s titled “episode one” it does feel like the first piece of something, not like it’s own story. The ending and really only the start of explaining the world feels more like a couple of chapters of something rather than it’s own novella.
Personally a 4/5* for me as it’s fast and fun and real easy to read
Synopsis
In the quaint German town of Fels, Halloween takes a dark turn for eleven-year-old Jo. When her annoying older brother, Hektor, goes missing, Jo suspects he’s playing a prank. But then both her father and grandma forget Hektor’s name, and his stuff mysteriously disappears from his room.
With the adults of no help whatsoever, Jo starts her own investigation, and uncovers a gruesome legend: A monster lives in the rye fields, and it has been preying on the children of Fels for centuries, ensnaring them into its world under the roots. With two days until the gate between their worlds closes, Jo races against time to save her brother.
Armed with a trusty turnip lantern, and her brother’s obnoxious best friend as her only ally, can Jo outsmart the ancient monster, or will the rye fields claim even more innocent victims? Embrace the magic of spooky season and join Jo on a spine-chilling journey into German folklore where courage, friendship, and darkness collide.
Review
I did happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
This is a middle grade horror that is a homage to the author’s favorites like Goosebumps. While it doesn’t quite hit that level of suspense, I do see how the author took them and made something of their own. Also like GB this novella does push the limits of ‘children’s’ and ‘horror’, With some dark imagery and description.
The 1st person POV of Jo is very authentic, reading as real in both age and personality. I loved the issues with making friends, having a mean brother, and reading as an escape. All things that we’ve dealt with on some level.
I love the German setting as well as the German folklore. I love that the author kept certain German words/phrases, as although they may have been self explanatory, they added depth. The Rye fields monster, as well as the world under the roots was super unique and I loved the idea of such a small, quaint town. Sadly the idea of walking around alone as a kid is kind of ruined by the nature of the story, but I liked it at the start!
Personally a 4/5* for me. Well written, enjoyable throughout.
Synopsis
Guilt will always call you back…
Rhona is a faithful servant of the country Jémoon and a woman in love. Everything changes when her beloved sets the ravenous Vulture goddess loose upon the land. Forced to execute the woman she loves for committing treason, Rhona discovers a profound correlation between morality and truth. A connection that might save her people or annihilate them all.
You are a lie…
Varésh Lúm-talé is many things, most of all a genocidal liar. A falsity searching for the Phoenix goddess whom he believes can help him rectify his atrocities. Such an undertaking is an arduous one for a man with missing memories and a conscience set on rending him from inside out. A man whose journey leads to Hang-Dead Forest and a meeting with a Vulture goddess who is not entirely as she seems.
Review
Take this with a grain of salt/sand/ashes/world making crystals (if you will)…as this story unfortunately did not connect for me. I found it to read as disjointed, often jumping between times while also switching characters in a way that did nothing but confuse me. The scenes are often very short, perhaps a couple hundred words each, and it felt like I couldn’t sink my teeth into anything. Like I was constantly trying to connect or understand but then it changed again. Even after finishing, I’m not quite sure what the plot is.
Perhaps just not my style, writing taste, or the wrong story for me, as I actually highlighted quite a bit that I thought was fantastic. Quotes and odds and ends that hit me as profound. As I received this to review, it wasn’t an actual kindle version, so I couldn’t upload them to goodreads sadly.
Personally a 3/5* for me. Just not to my taste.
Still upset this one didn’t hit for me! And still thinking about it, so there may be something there to say about that!
Synopsis
Legends say a dead god is buried under the stone city of Ishcairn, protecting its inhabitants by dashing enemy fleets into the jagged coast of Craeburn. Adjunct professor Corrie Ecksley doesn’t believe any of that, but she knows from her work excavating nearby burial sites that the ancient Craeburn people believed it enough to name the city after their dead god, Ish.
When the ripples of a great war finally reach Craeburn’s shores, a terrifying new weapon is unleashed on the city that not even Ish can deter. A bomb that tears souls from bodies, driving anyone who witnessed the blast insane. But it is not the living that Corrie fears. Displaced spirits are hungry for a body, and care not if it already plays host to a soul.
No bullets can stop them, no walls are thick enough to keep them out.
No help is coming.
No one left but Corrie to stop the carnage, if she even can.
I already owned the kindle version!
This is a mixture of eldritch horror with a fantasy backdrop. A mix of gods and what felt like industrial style weaponry made for what comes across as a sort of gaslamp fantasy horror. I would kind of liken it to Of Honey and Wild Fires by Sarah Chorn in its fantasy world feel, but instead of crippling grief, it’s actual horrors coming for the characters.
A bomb blast that rips souls from bodies and causes those that witness it to go insane, creates these shrieking husks of people that used to be. These apparition-like beings create a creepy atmosphere that has the reader as amped up as the main character.
Corrie Ecksley, an adjunct professor, is thrust into the middle of all of this and just trying to survive. I liked that besides her excavation experience giving her some background information, she was just a normal person trapped in an impossible situation. And of course, sometimes literally trapped.
I will say that some of the world building bits and character explanation beats kind of took away from that creepy atmosphere, so in the end I don’t think this really comes across as horror. Not necessarily a negative, but I felt like it was on the fence of blending the two genres well, and I would have liked to see it go all the way. I am still kind of going through it though, so my attention span is a little off and reading has been difficult.
Regardless, this was an enjoyable novella. The big beats were there, the pace is good, as the character faces more than one issue that’s very time sensitive, and there’s definitely enough that I could have kept reading longer.
Synopsis
There’s something creeping around in the basement. And it has tentacles.
Sam’s job as a parking attendant has always been boring. Until now. A hole straight to hell has opened up and evil lurks in the shadows of the garage where she works the night shift. When management fails to help, Sam turns to her friends and coworkers.
But, can a handful of burned-out employees save a city? Will Sam discover the secret of the parking garage without getting fired, or will she die trying?
Find out in…Cthulhu’s Car Park.
This horror novella contains strong language and some violence. Also, slime. Lots of slime.
Review
I did happen to purchase the audiobook, as I am super busy, and the narration was a nice plus.
This was an interesting mix of kind of slice-of-life styled mundane work and then urban fantasy-ish blended cosmic horror and action. A car park. Creepy lights and darkness. The car park workers. Discovering a cistern that’s slowly churning out multi-dimensional monsters. Oh and the monsters turn to sludge when they die, so no one will believe it.
The main character, Sam, is enjoyable and believable. Her experiences are so real and frustrating that I didn’t mind sitting in the booth with her while she worked. As a retail worker, I have experienced and heard some of these things myself, so it was spot on (sadly!).
I liked the idea of her recruiting the other car park employees to protect the place and stake out the cistern, however I did find the ending to come up a bit short. Both in the literal scale, and excitement. It wasn’t outright flat, it just felt as if it came and went, the action happening in one single little burst. It made the built up stakes not read as quite real.
Personally a 3.5/5*, I’d still recommend as I’m sure book 2 adds even more to it.
Synopsis
Detective noir meets The Witcher in a post-apocalyptic city reminiscent of Victorian London.
New London is protected by a stone shelter to keep out the rainwights–the monsters that tore down civilization. It is a dark city, choked with soot and crime. On these perpetually lamplit streets, Kade Blackcap was once a famous detective.
Overburdened with guilt at sending a man to the noose, Kade can’t bear to take a case for fear of the consequences. But with the taxman breathing down his neck, he has to find work soon, or he’ll lose the house his father left him.
He has one hope left.
Instead of chasing criminals, he turns to hunting the monsters of myth his peers refuse to believe exist.
I did happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
This novella mixes quite a lot into it. It’s post apocalyptic event, with seemingly more of a fantasy based event than a scifi one, but the notes of both are still there. In that sense it’s urban fantasy, but as it’s after the events, it reads as a fantasy world unlike our own in ways, and yet it has notes of a Victorian-era London to it as well. Not to mention I’ve seen reviewers call the author a grimdark writer too. Oh, and this features a detective, so it’s mystery as well. Far be it from me to tell you what genre to call it, but I personally loveeee blended genres.
Kade Blackcap is an out-of-luck and yet above-average sleuth. When his abilities lead to a guilty man being hung, he finds that he can’t exactly cope with the death of a human, guilty or not. This spirals out of control until he’s about to end up on the street. Rashly, he decides to run something in the paper for a more superstitious clientele. It’s vastly unsuccessful, but he’s not a quitter.
I love that our detective’s journey involved researching mythology and folklore from the world’s past in the library. He is not naturally knowledgeable or gifted and winning without trials. He struggles with a penchant for sipping from his flask, so more often than not he’s stumbling to his destination or has a headache. Not necessarily uncommon for the mystery genre, but it’s pretty cool to see this implanted into a world that’s much less common for it. And it makes Kade read as incredibly grounded, real.
I did find the mystery itself to be a little on the nose, but obviously the twist is that he switches to supernatural detecting, and in that sense, it worked very well for me. It is also a bit shy on its explanation of what happened to the world, again, I think possibly (like others that follow this format) because it came out after book one, and perhaps the author did not want to explain it twice. But because this is a mystery, and such a singularly focused event, I found it helped the mystery rather than hindering the book.
Personally a 5/5*, a real killer for me.
Synopsis
Saving a life may have just cost him his own
Protecting the innocent was all Kilo ever wanted. With a noble heart, he began his training as a warrior, pursing a path of compassion and justice. But when a seemingly ordinary mission goes wrong, he’s forced to break his creed, betraying the very thing he’s dedicated his life to.
Because of his actions, others are forced to bear the consequences. To one upholding honor, the shame is almost unbearable. His friends try to comfort him, but without his creed, who is he? And how can he possibly make amends for what he’s done?
Staff of Justice is a short prequel novella to the Asian-inspired, noblebright series, The Shadow’s Creed Saga. Witness the moment that changed Kilo’s life forever and shaped the entire course of his future—for better or for worse.
Review
I did happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
Kilo is a Shadow. Sworn to protect the people without killing. But when he is faced with the decision to let his friend die, or take a life, he makes the only choice he could.
The story follows along with the consequences of Kilo’s life after taking a life, much of which are self inflicted. I will say, it does suffer for me because it doesn’t actually pan out within the novella. He doesn’t have a set plan for retribution, and because of that he just kind of goes back to living life while simultaneously carrying the guilt for his actions. It does end on a note of hope, but it loses the ‘why’ for me during the novella itself.
Personally a 3/5*, featuring a unique world that meshing Japan with some of its own things. The descriptions are strong and the action was fluid.
Synopsis
Before we were TRAITORS…
Before there was a GRAVE waiting for us all..
While more than WORMS remained…
It started with a war. It began with REVENGE.
Praise for the Crown and Tide Series:
“The narrative voice really shines here. Every character has a unique voice and interesting perspective…” —Timothy Wolff, author of Platinum Tinted Darkness
“…the author makes so many great character observations that I’m reminded of Brent Weeks in the lightbringer series and of Joe Abercrombie in the First Law trilogy.” —Dylan West, the author of Scribes’ Descent
Review
I did happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
As a prequel, I was surprised how character focused this was, especially because it came out after the series first book (something that seems quite popular in current fantasy series). It opens right into a very morally grey set of characters, and as with all wars, they are on both sides. I enjoyed all of the perspectives and the ways in which they were different. And the author definitely has a deft hand with written intrigue.
The world seems to have a system where whenever someone dies, everything they’ve ever handwritten disappears. It’s intriguing for sure, though just barely touched upon. I don’t know if this is because you are supposed to be teased into reading the first book, or because it was originally explained at length in the novel, but as a standalone for SFINCS, it didn’t really work for me, feeling more like a possible companion to book one in that sense, rather than a standalone prequel.
The action sequences, though rather short, are intense, written well, and definitely make you feel like you’re thrust right into the thick of it. Because it’s character focused though, I do feel like it fell a bit short on delivering against its title of “The Revenge of Thousands.”
Personally a 3.5/5*. I am trying to judge it as a standalone for the competition, but my own thoughts are that I would very gladly continue right into the first book!
Synopsis
When Anna is invited to a secluded retreat full of selfish, greedy humans, of course she doesn’t say no. Not only did she manipulate the CEO of the world’s largest oil corporation, Peter Beyer, into organising the four-day getaway in the first place, but no self-respecting vampire would ever turn down such easy prey. Her weekend gets even better when she meets Saira, one of Peter Beyer’s employees, and they begin a whirlwind affair. Blood and beautiful women are Anna’s idea of a great time.
She should have known it was too good to be true.
Hunters are dangerous, deadly, and dedicated to eradicating vampires. When a group of them turn up at the retreat, Anna must use her centuries of experience to escape their ever-closing net. Will she get out unscathed, or will they finally catch up to her? Will she give into her intense and unexpected feelings for Saira, or will she leave her to burn as she destroys all evidence she was ever there?
A fresh twist on urban fantasy, with an added splash of sapphic romance.
I wish this was available in paperback!
This is a sapphic vampire novella that features a likable, yet somewhat despicable main character. Anna is a vampire, over 500 years old, and she finds it best to salve her hunger with the blood of truly despicable people. Her infiltration of CEO Peter Beyer’s company has led her to an employee retreat. She doesn’t intend to let them leave.
I really enjoyed this. It is both a new take on vampires while still holding onto that classic feel. Vampires are day-walkers, the nocturnal antics only a rumor put out to confuse. So Anna sunbathes while reading a book by the pool, yet she still feels like a classic vampire stalking her prey.
For me, I would say this is horror first, with its graphic violence and descriptions. And honestly this just read as really grounded for a huge chunk of it. Anna’s choices in dinner felt kind of like Dexter meets vampirism. But with the vampire heightened strength and speed, as well as the hunters, it still has that urban fantasy feel to it.
The sapphic angle shows Anna finding herself propelled towards Saira. There is in-scene explicit ‘spice,’ which you may know is not my cup of tea, but with the heightened senses and lust, I did feel like it read as warranted for this one. The two of them together feels real, the author does a great job making the reader feel how drawn to each other they are and honestly, I didn’t even think far enough ahead to see the twist.
Overall, this was fast, fun, and a bloody good time. Anna’s use of someone else’s arm as not only a weapon, but a shield in some causes was my favorite part.
Synopsis
Author Jeff Walker (writer of the Outer Red series and The Mysterious World Of Professor Darkk And Miss Shadow) takes you on a journey into the farthest reaches of space. Far beyond Earth, clone soldiers are in a constant struggle against colonial separatists trying to break free of the oppressive government, Earth Core United. John 999801, a lowly ranked clone solider, feels the war has dragged on forever and wishes it would end soon. But while this futile battle rages on, John has also repeatedly dreams of a fantasy woman he’s never met before, yet desperately wants to find and be with her. Endless thoughts plague his mind. Who is she? Does she exist? And more importantly, can one clone soldier make a difference? How long can a war like this last? His answers to those questions might prove hard to find. John is forced to join his fellow troopers to the surface of the planet they’ve been battling over for thousands of years. A planet his fellow clones have nicknamed—Hell.
Review
I did happen to purchase this on audible, as I am busy, and audiobooks are helping me keep up. The narration is very solid.
Right off the bat, this novella hits us with a group of clone soldiers. They’re used to wage someone else’s war, never given a choice. And while there are many of them, it’s obvious that they come from only a couple of original sets of genes, only changing certain aspects based off desired jobs in the military. John, seemingly just another clone, gives us unique thoughts and personality. It makes me think of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and how it humanized and personalized the clones.
When wanting more is a death sentence, John might just find out that there really is more to life than what he’s been offered, but will he live to get it?
I just felt like it was lacking a little bit in lore, building and description of what the world is. This partially works because as a clone, John would not be privy to everything, but I do think there are ways that more could have been included.
Personally 3.5/5*, an enjoyable quick read!
Synopsis
In a land ruled by patriarchy, an assassin sisterhood delivers justice from the shadows.
Now, their mysterious patron has charged burly fighter Erika Langeshen and lithe shadow-stalker Annah Barksdottir with uncovering a plot against the very rulers that have mistreated and oppressed them their whole lives.
Their quest will take them to a faraway village on the borders of the Razor Teeth Woods, where they will need to use all the tricks of their trade to build a base of power and expose the machinations of the local lord and his allies.
But before they do, they must break into one of the Patriarchate’s fortresses and retrieve an unlikely ally…
Blades of the Ice is the prequel novella to The Daughter of The Ice, the first book in the Legends of Elessia: Age of Rekindling series. Expect a fast-paced sword & sorcery adventure in the style of R.A Salvatore and an homage to the Forgotten Realms fantasy series. Readers and reviewers alike have compared it to The Witcher and The Wheel of Time.
Review
I did also happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
This novella features a gritty fantasy world and focuses on a group of assassins. They moonlight as s*x workers, blacksmiths, medical stall workers, all with the aim of collecting information on their marks and raising a little funds. They have all been recruited by a masked-wearing man, one that seems to know all, and has the plans kept mostly mum.
In one scene, they focus on saving a captured priestess turned new member of their group. Call it an unannounced recruitment. It was in this scene that I felt like it hit a bit of a stride. It was explained that each woman had a different but pivotal role, and here it was showcased. Annah is the blade in the night, while Erika is more of a heavy hitter.
The finale takes off with them reaching a new area and needing to take out three cronies before getting to the big bad. This felt like an in depth Assassin’s Creed scene or set, which if you know me, I love AC, so this was a huge part of my enjoyment with this novella.
The action/assassinations were all unique and well written, and I enjoyed taking the journey with them. I will say that the characters worked much more as the group then on their own for me, but I think with that could be changed in a full novel.
Synopsis
When rivalry becomes an obsession greater than the fate of mankind…
Ren is an officer on the rise, going from planetary conquest to conquest, until he crosses path with a senior female officer from his native Japan. His meeting with Izuna ends in a bloody duel — the first of many. As the war against other species progresses, Ren’s obsession for Izuna grows and his discontentment for army life along with it. When Izuna gets isolated on an icy hell, Ren volunteers to rescue her for what may be his ultimate mission.
“Samurai Space Western. Or Astro-Roninpunk, if you prefer. If this premise alone doesn’t give you tingles then you’ll be pleased to read that the story more than delivers on its strong premise.” Tom Bookbeard, reviewer at FanFiAddict.
I did happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
This is a scifi/fantasy novel that features a war between humans, an alien race, and AI-led humanoids. Within that, two of our main characters, Ren and Izuna, come to blows over questioned honor drawn from their Japanese heritage. They meet throughout the Far West in space and come to continuous blows in katana led-combat. Through the years, each see various wins and setbacks, which does nothing but spur on their rivalry. Ren even has an true obsession with her and their ability to continue fighting.
Outside this rivalry, the world is interesting and unique. The characters feel real. Even though Ren misses out on other parts of life, his obsession with their rivalry brings something to life within him that he so often lacks: choice. They choose to fight, to risk harm. They choose to be this way. So when Izuna is in danger, Ren immediately volunteers to help…he can’t risk losing their fights, their chances to feel alive.
There is a setting with carriages that does feel very fantasy western, but with the samurai references, and katana fights, I feel like mentally I leaned more into that aspect.
I will say, there was definitely an explicit scene that I would label as sexual assault. I can’t really think of why this would have added to, or aided, the story, so it was very jarring to the experience, outside of which was quite enjoyable.
Synopsis
Once he checked in, checking out became an obsession!
Crawford the were-rat checks into a shady hotel and promptly stumbles over a dead man. A mysterious troll is obsessed with finding the dagger that killed him—a dagger possessed by a demon! The demon denies that he is a demon and is obsessed with regaining his freedom. Meanwhile, the hotel’s night clerk is obsessed with the hooker on the third floor. Crawford is obsessed with what’s in the hooker’s room: a solid gold statuette of a demon-slaying goddess! Crawford has checked in, but, when obsessions collide, does he have any hope of checking out?
Content Advisory: This book is intended for a mature audience. It contains misogynistic characters, language, and acts. It also contains graphic violence (including violence against women), smoking, drinking, drug use, graphic sexual acts, and crude language and images.
Review
I did also happen to purchase this on audible, as I am busy, and audiobooks are helping me keep up. The narration is very solid.
This novella does one of my all-time favorite things: mixing genres. It is a fantasy world, with trolls, demons, elves, gods and shapeshifters. But it is also modernized, kind of like Netflix’s ‘Bright’, but with more of a gangster noir feel. It’s gritty and witty, exactly how noir should be. The trolls are the gang muscle, and shapeshifters thieves. It works well.
With that being said, this is part of the author’s Alexander Southerland, P.I. series, and although it is possible to read it as a standalone, it feels as if it would only be enhanced by reading the others first. I just feel like, on its own, the content is not necessarily focused on something I would typically chose to read. The use of sex work opens the story to lots of misogyny. Although it does include a very thought out, and thoughtful, content warning before the start of it.
Personally a 3.5/5* for me. I will definitely check out the series.
Synopsis
The civil war ends now.
Igtheos and his rebels have fought tirelessly against a would-be dictator and his army for almost two years. The city they’ve holed up in has become a prison, soon to be a tomb if they cannot arrange a means of escape.
When the enemy leader offers an armistice that’s too good to be true, Igtheos reluctantly accepts, thinking it will buy him enough time to smuggle those loyal to him out of the city. But he quickly learns the cost of choosing hope over caution as he finds himself caught in his enemy’s sinister plan, fighting a final unexpected battle. Failure means death, or worse, the loss of his loved ones.
And he only has one night to determine everyone’s fate.
From the Ashes is a prequel novelette that takes place over two thousand years prior to the events in Of Thieves and Shadows—volume one in the epic fantasy series, The Heart of Quinaria.
I did happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
This is the prequel to The Heart of Quinaria series, and in my opinion, it does operate quite well on its own. It’s a little sparse of descriptors, but it is very focused on the story it’s centering on, so it still works.
Igtheos and Elize are an interracial married couple with a mixed child. The differences are not exactly explained, at least not in black and white, but I took the Nyrian people to be kind of elf/god like beings. The would be dictator they rebel against would put a stop to such relationships, and much more. He believes the humans to be outright beneath them. So when he offers terms for their surrender that seem to good to be true, the rebels still have no choice but to accept. That or be starved out. This is the chaos that ensues when he breaks his treaty to the rebels. It’s a good examination of hope over caution, as well as the lengths people will go for those they love (and in some sense the depths).
While being quite short, perhaps even for novella standards, this was still quite impactful. The action is big, the emotion even bigger. I really felt for the rebels cause, mostly through how the author portrays the rebel leaders. And of course, fights over equality are always hard hitting, fantasy world or not. And in my opinion, this kind of representation of evil is one of the darkest there is. Not just outright evil, not just bad and hectic, but the pointed attempt at lowering or even annihilating a people. In that sense, it is quite a heavy read though.
You feel their losses, you feel their plight, and you feel like raising up a sword in their defense.
Synopsis
Kill the monsters when they’re found.
No matter who they used to be.
The girl with secret feathers in her skin and strange bones jutting out beneath her clothes is resigned to her fate. Her deformities mark her a monster and the stories say monsters must die.
When her family finds out and turns on her, a village boy saves her and leads her on a frantic escape. The girl believes her death has merely been delayed—until he mentions a cure.
With the world against them and the monstrous change progressing, they must cross water, forest, and field to chase the rumor that fuels their desperate hope. But is hope enough to keep them going?
I did happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
I want to start with what stuck out to me. My main point of contention is that one of the two mains is referred to as ‘girl’ for the entire opening. The boy even saying that they were going to pull a ‘little girl’ out of her house. But then you find out that she’s actually about 19, older than the boy, so it was just confusing wording and stuck out to me as jarring.
With that being said, throughout the story they remain girl and boy. I thought it was a nice decision, because as monsters, their life is basically forfeited the moment they’re found out. Therefore, their true selves, their chances, their mistakes and hopes, cease to be. Their families even do away with them.
The opening of this was incredible. Fast, mysterious, dangerous, daring. There’s a need to escape and the reader can feel it immediately. Such a quick hook into the reader. I was a little surprised at the lack of chapters, but it doesn’t really take anything away. For me, the opening with its sort of mutilation and animal horror, was the perfect blend of horror and fantasy notes.
I believe this was a well done examination on the loss of hope, and what happens when those that have lost it see a spark of it returning. It is quite bleak, but there are glimpses of warmth and happiness that carry the reader through. By the end you really do end up feeling so much for the two of them and what they’ve gone through.
Synopsis
The Usharian Empire rules the Known World with an iron fist. Imperials protect their world from the tainted hand of the Deceiver, but he is back with an avatar capable of breaking the Empire and grounding humanity into ash.
JEHA is a sentinel of the Empire, willing to fight and die for kinship and duty.
AGOR is an imperial general. Disgruntled by the darkness he sees seeping into everything he loves, he makes his move.
MATALA is a young smokesmith who sees his courage tested as Ushar burns.
ALAMAKAR is the world’s most powerful man, but even strong blood ties can hold him down and tear him apart.
As the Deceiver threatens the Usharian Empire’s heart, fiends walk the streets of the capital. Men and monsters clash in a battle fit for gods. And the smoke follows them.
I did also happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover a lot.
To me, this hit very similarly to Ryan Cahill’s The Fall. From the jump there is tension, action, emotion. The author sets up a battle that is already not going well, therefore the reader knows the stakes are high, and that there’s bound to be a near bottomless fall. There are multiple POVs and the author manages to make the reader care individually for all of them in the very short time you spend with each.
The Essence and the Deceiver are locked in an endless battle. Their chosen avatars destined to duke it out for eternity. This selection, and the transference of powers felt very similar to Marvel’s Moon Knight to me. They are imbued with power, can speak to their masters, become ageless, and live to serve. Too bad they also happen to be brothers.
In just 100 pages, the author makes you care for the characters, the world, the crumbling city, and feel each loss as they pile high. It’s well written, fast paced, and certainly an enticing sampler of what’s to come in the series itself. I’m intrigued by his different demonic creatures, as well as the different fighters the king has at his beck and call. Particularly the battle sisters and Smoke Riders.
Please check this one out!
Synopsis
Years ago, all she wanted was to leave. Now, a web of secrets might ensnare her forever.
When Iris Grey returns to her hometown of Ilmoure years after a bitter parting, she hopes for reconciliation in the face of a tragedy. Instead, she arrives to a town changed for the worse, a cold welcome from people she once loved, and a family that seems to be keeping secrets from her at every turn.
When those secrets become too heavy to ignore, Iris starts to dig deeper. What she finds leads her to question her very perception of reality. Faced with old wounds and new revelations, Iris finds herself mired in a plot that threatens to swallow herself, the town, and the people she once loved.
This is a slow burn, small town horror. Iris, who already escaped her dysfunctional family once, has been brought back to town by the death of her nephew. This novella spends a lot of time building into that dysfunction. Her mother’s attitude, her father’s over-accepting responses, and her sister’s seeming lack of grief. For me it didn’t exactly reach a level of atmospheric creepiness, but the author does keep it interesting enough to keep it slow.
At just about the 60% mark the novella starts to take off. The mystery that has been building is finally answered, and to be honest, it felt a lot more “left field” than I was expecting. This is definitely more horror than mystery, and while it worked for me, I guess I was just surprised.
This novella also features an old ex with LGBtQ rep, and I thought it was used well that them meeting back up was one of the reveals for the mystery early on. The photo being forgotten in the library one of the only clues throughout the story.
I enjoyed the explanation and ending, as well as the fact that the small town horror might have been spreading its monstrous fingers out to the surrounding areas.
Thanks for checking all of this out and be sure to support these amazing writers! I hope by now it is apparent that I seek to boost indie authors as much as possible. As you will have seen above in many of the reviews, I either purchased paperbacks when available, or used audible credits to support/read in the format I preferred. Some of this stemmed from an older tweet of mine where I asked for novellas/novels under $12. It was my most “successful” tweet ever and I thought that was pretty cool as it was centered around boosting indie authors. You should check out the awesome authors in the replies here.
Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone involved in SFINCS that made all of this possible!
Leave a Reply