Similarly to my original Intro to Indie posts (which you can check out here: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-fi) this is an idea I’ve been brewing for months. Not just where to start with fantasy, or underrated fantasies, but fantasy from authors you may have never heard of, authors that may not look, sound, or think like […]
Fantasy
Book Review: Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff
TL;DR Review: Bloody, brutal, and spectacular. Insanely action-packed with highly addictive characters and a gothic world that just keeps getting darker and more intriguing. Synopsis: From holy cup comes holy light;The faithful hands sets world aright.And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,Mere man shall end this endless night. Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail […]
Review: Red Season Rising (The Red Season Series #1) by D.M. Murray
Synopsis A feud between Gods.A nation besieged by armies of man, and demon.A man seeking redemption, and peace. Kalfinar is a grieving addict. Once a decorated and respected soldier, he has been demoted and disgraced.The relative peace of his half-life is shattered by the onset of chaos and war.Tormented by visions, he is marked for […]
Review: The Blackest Heart (The Five Warrior Angels Trilogy #2) by Brian Lee Durfee
Synopsis Gladiator. Assassin. Thief. Princess. And the Slave. The Five Warrior Angels have been revealed, one by one the mystical weapons they once wielded are being found, and an ancient prophecy is finally being fulfilled. Or is it? For when it comes to recorded history, much is intended to manipulate and deceive. Returning to the […]
Review: The Dark Feather (Songs of the Drowned Book 3) by Anna Stephens
You come at the Song, you better not miss Synopsis I’m not giving you a synopsis because the whole point of this review is I want anyone who’s not read the series yet to start now. For an overall series plot, see the review! Yeah, I’m a rebel. Just you try and stop me. Review […]
Review: Return of the Crimson Guard (Novels of the Malazan Empire #2) by Ian C. Esslemont
Synopsis: The returning mercenary Crimson Guard are sworn to oppose the Empire. Some elite Avowed scheme to open paths to power. Ascendants, ancient powerful entities, seek to exploit all sides for gain. “Traveller”, a swordsman, and his companion Ereko, confront successive enemies until the last from which none have returned. “Old Hands”, generals and mages […]
Book Review: Play of Shadows (Court of Shadows #1) by Sebastian de Castell
TL;DR: True to the spirit of the Greatcoats, but fresh and unique. Thrilling, complex, and absolutely addictive. Synopsis: Swordplay, magic, intrigue and friendships stronger than iron: the first volume in the new swashbuckling fantasy series set in the universe of THE GREATCOATS. Damelas Chademantaigne picked a poor night to flee a judicial duel. He has […]
Australian & New Zealand Author Showcase No 24 – Calum Lott
An idea squeezed into my head in 2023, after seeing so many of the book community gathering at conventions across the US and UK. And once my FOMO subsided, I got to thinking about who might be gathered together if we had similar conventions closer to home. Pending the master planning required to arrange a […]
Review: The Hallows by HL Tinsley
TL;DR Version: Nuns with machine guns, a grim and gritty flavor, and a bizarre mystery I had to solve. An unforgettable reading experience! Synopsis: The Hallow serum was once sacred to the Auld Bloods. Used to gain access to their lost ancestral powers, now it is regulated and administered by the powerful Providence Company. Evolved […]
Review: Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu
FROM THE ASHES OF AN EMPIRE, A HERO WILL RISE… ‘A dazzlingly epic and richly complex world of dragons, magic, and rebellion’ Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night ‘A classic fantasy adventure that reminds me of the novels I loved growing up, but with a flair of cultivation from the novels […]
Review: The Storm Beneath the World by Michael R. Fletcher
We’re going to need a bigger fly swatter Synopsis Cursed by the gods, the insectile ashkaro live on flying islands travelling the eternal River of Days while a hellish firestorm devours the world below. Collected into queendoms, the higher caste brights live in the luxurious windward rain-forest while the servile dulls scrape out a desperate […]
BOOK TOUR/REVIEW: Renia (Luna Ruinam Vol. 1) by Karl Forshaw
SYNOPSIS The Halls of Venn are the seat of both knowledge and power in the great continent of Luna Ruinam. Renia, a scribe with a tragic past, spends her days expertly copying books that do little to satiate her desire for knowledge. When a fateful commission lands on her desk, she finds herself tasked with […]