Synopsis The Kaul siblings’ battle with rival clans reaches new heights in the heart-pounding continuation of the Green Bone Saga, an epic trilogy about family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of blood and jade. On the island of Kekon, the Kaul family is locked in a violent feud for […]
Fantasy
Review: Crownfall by Michael Vadney
Synopsis: The gritty underworld and razor-edged found family of Six of Crows collide with the mysterious magic and sweeping intrigue of The City of Brass, all against the vivid industrial backdrop of Arcane in Michael Vadney’s nobledark fantasy debut. Nearly a decade under the empire’s grip has left Burunt a troubled land. Kyndel Heim knows […]
Review: Green City Wars by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Synopsis: Philip Marlowe meets Redwall in this superior adult noir tale, where all the characters are animals, fighting for survival in the city underneath the humans. Down these mean streets a beast must walk… Meet Skotch. Racoon, P.I.—Yours for a few buttons as long as the job isn’t too illegal, whatever that means. A mouse […]
Review: The Hunger of the Gods (Bloodsworn Saga #2) by John Gwynne
Synopsis: The Hunger of the Gods continues John Gwynne’s acclaimed Norse-inspired epic fantasy series, packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance Lik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest. As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep […]
SPFBO XI Review: Blackwater (Serpents and Shadows Book 1) by Emily Blakeney
Synopsis There is much to be done when the kingdom isn’t looking. Iona Strider is a ruthless pickpocket cursed with a disobedient shadow. Violent, too. Worse, she can’t remember who cursed her, or why. But she does know one with each passing day, her control of the shadow dwindles. In her relentless pursuit of answers, […]
SPFBO XI Semi-finalist Review: No More Levels by Benjamin Barreth
Synopsis: Life sucks when you’re a potato farmer. That’s why Rin can’t wait to turn sixteen and conquer the nearest beginner dungeon. Only then can he acquire a powerful class in the Game of the Gods and begin the earnest grind to leveling up. With enough monster kills, he might even become someone truly strong, […]
Blade of Tyshalle (The Acts of Caine #2) by Matthew Woodring Stover
Synopsis On Earth, Hari Michaelson was a superstar. But on Overworld, he was the assassin Caine. Real monarchs lived and died at his hands and entire governments were overthrown—all for the entertainment of millions back on Earth. But now Hari, stripped of his identity as Caine, must fight his greatest battle: against the powerful corporate […]
SPFBO XI Review: Shadows of the Sundered Lands by Korbin Rook
Synopsis The walls that kept the darkness out are beginning to fall. One hundred and fifty years ago, the Sundering drowned Avoni in darkness, twisting every living thing into a nightmare. The only survivors live under the Aurora Shrouds, mystical barriers shielding isolated towns from the horrors outside. When a Vanguard Courier, uncovers evidence that […]
SPFBO XI: One Last Semi-Finalist!
Hello, hello, book fans! We’re back with one last semi-finalist announcement and an update on where we’ll be going from here. We’re also announcing our last cuts. Let’s set with the cuts: Errant Gift by Rhys Price What the judges had to say: Graham: I didn’t enjoy this as much as others seemed to. It […]
Review: The Curse of Dragon Tail Island by Jonathan Nevair
This novel blends pirates with classic fantasy, all in a Robin Hood style package.
Review: The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
Synopsis Get ready to be blown away by this searing standalone space opera where corporate samurai fight beneath merciless stars, and death is always a mere breath away. Isako is a legendary swordswoman, but every legend has to come to an end. When her long-time client unexpectedly retires, she plans to follow–to walk out into […]
Review: The Bad Apothecary (Ninth Path Book 1) by Keon Shore
Synopsis Diwu stumbles into the capital half-dead, wounded by something no healer can cure. Nestled in her flesh is a strange pathogen carrying corruption, the antithesis of the Natural Order. Desperate, she trades freedom for survival and falls into the grip of the Hierarchy, a ruthless organization that keeps power in check by any means […]