TL;DR Review – A brilliant, complex, engaging story that had me reading compulsively from start to finish. A familiar yet fresh fantasy epic. 5 stars. Synopsis: His name is not worthy. A traitor is executed, his name ripped away from history. Now the kingdom stands on the brink of a succession war that could bring […]
Fantasy
Review: Partial Function: A Wuxia-inspired Epic Fantasy by J.C.M. Berne
Synopsis: If Taken starred Michelle Yeoh and was set on a Jurassic Park – inspired Cradle. Monster hunter Akina Azure inherited the most powerful weapon in the martial world before retiring to a peaceful life raising her twin girls. The Reaver has them kidnapped, thinking Akina will trade that weapon for their safe return. Will […]
Review: The Knight of the Moon (The Dance of Light #0.5) by Gregory Kontaxis
Synopsis John, the Long Arm, leads a life as a bounty hunter at the Three Heads. His name has spread far and wide across the north while plenty of gold weighs down his pockets. Just when everything seems to be going well for him, a group of soldiers order him to take on a new […]
Australian & New Zealand Author Showcase No 16 – Louise Holland
Today I have the honour of hosting the Sixteenth author showcase focusing on the awesome talent originating from Australia and New Zealand. The idea came to me whilst seeing so many of the book community gathering at recent conventions in the US and UK. And once my FOMO had subsided, I got to thinking about […]
Review: How the Fox Runs by J.O Ellis
Synopsis Alise, an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane, wants nothing more than a life of freedom in the forest she loves. Charged with the murder of her lover, Alise is convinced she has been framed. Motivated by this belief she manipulates, cheats and steals her way out only to be captured by […]
Review: The Blacktongue Thief (Blacktongue Series #1) by Christopher Buehlman
Synopsis Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler […]
Review: The Knight of the Moon by Gregory Kontaxis (Novella #1 of The Dance of Light Pentalogy)
A tragic story that fleshes out a prominent character from the series’ novels.
Review: The Seam of Eternity (The Veins of Eternity #1) by Rocco Levitas
TL;DR Review: Perfect for fans of the early Wheel of Time books and a more cerebral, hard magic system. Great worldbuilding, interesting characters. Synopsis: Shadow cripples all realms, magical and physical. A single chosen one isn’t enough. Callan failed to save his sister from the plagued swamps blighting the land. When darkness threatens his home, […]
Review: The Elements of Time (The Winds of Change #1) by Sam Paisley
Synopsis Destiny, personal responsibility, what the future holds – common concerns for anyone graduating high school. But usually not because of a cosmic war between timeless beings where you’re the central player. As the end of school quickly approaches, and Cooper Bailey watches his perfect world slip away, his only concern is savouring every last […]
Australian & New Zealand Author Showcase No 13 – Damien Francis
Today I have the honour of hosting the lucky thirteenth author showcase focusing on the awesome talent originating from Australia and New Zealand. The idea came to me whilst seeing so many of the book community gathering at recent conventions in the US and UK. And once my FOMO had subsided, I got to thinking […]
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
Synopsis Magic has made the city of Tiran an industrial utopia, but magic has a cost—and the collectors have come calling. An orphan since the age of four, Sciona has always had more to prove than her fellow students. For twenty years, she has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by […]
Review: Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes #0) by Travis Baldree
Synopsis: When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek. In Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel to Legends & Lattes, New York Times bestselling author Travis Baldree takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books. Viv’s career with the […]