Before I tell you why I cherished this book (without spoilers), I simply want to say WOW. Among Thieves is a first-novel triumph for M.J. Kuhn and in my top ten list for 2021! M.J. demonstrated she had a marvelous writing ability and just carved herself a seat at the table with the brilliant authors of our time, and can’t wait to read what she comes up with next. Bravo!
Gollancz
Author Chat – M. J. Kuhn
Join David as he chats with fantasy author M. J. Kuhn about her debut heist novel, Among Thieves, which was just released from Gallery/Saga in the US and Gollancz in the UK. There may also be talk of how they were both the coolest of the uncool kids in school, video games, and just how […]
Review: Artifact Space (Arcana Imperii #1) by Miles Cameron
The protagonist, Marca Nbaro, practically hits the ground running right from the get go and along with her, the reader is propelled into a plot full of character interactions you live for, a long list of mysteries waiting to be solved, and a brand new fascinating world whose main undercurrent is hope, learning to trust others, and the beauties of trading cultures.
Review: The Wood Bee Queen by Edward Cox
The Wood Bee Queen by Edward Cox is a standalone fantasy reminiscent of old folktales sprinkled with classic fantasy tropes and some Ancient Greek/Roman mythology homages (or Easter eggs if you like). It is also a portal fantasy, which I haven’t read in quite some time, and that definitely catered to some of the nostalgia from my early teens. Through it, Cox tackles timeless themes of good vs evil, blind religious faith, petty/whimsical gods, and the importance of stories, as well as making one’s own decisions without letting others sway you for their gain.
Review: The Hand of the Sun King (Pact and Pattern #1) by J.T Greathouse
The story takes on an older Wen Alder/Foolish Cur, reflecting on his past. He wants to learn magic without the limitations of his Nayani heritage and the Siennese disdain for magic. His grandmother is a central character that wants him to revolt against the Empire. While his mother doesn’t want that. I shall call him Foolish Cur because that is an apt name for many of the decisions he makes in the book’s course, which aren’t significant. He is competent, yes, but he’s also misguided at the same time. Foolish Cur wants his way, a third way where he’s free from all the burdens that are placed by his background. He’s torn between two heritages, and that’s what eats at the core of his soul in this book. How can one man break away from this? On the one hand, the Siennese torture and kill those who practice magic and yet make use of it in battle. On the other, the Siennese recently conquered the Nayani, and they have been rebelling against them. Foolish Cur could have been a double agent, which he tries too, but fails at it miserably. This entire book is about a young man trying to discover who he is and what he wants.
Author Chat – J.T. Greathouse
Join David as he chats with author J.T. Greathouse about his debut novel, The Hand of the Sun King (Pact & Pattern #1), from Gollancz.
Author Chat – J.T. Greathouse
Read-a-long for Joe Abercrombie’s The Age of Madness Trilogy
Will from Gollancz reached out to David about FanFiAddict joining a reread of The Age of Madness in preparation for the release of The Wisdom of Crowds with our blog specifically covering The Trouble With Peace, Chapters 1-9. Needless to say, I dropped everything I was doing and jumped at the chance to take part.
Review: The Hand of the Sun King (Pact and Pattern #1) by J.T. Greathouse
Review: The Hand of the Sun King (Pact and Pattern #1) by J. T. Greathouse
Hand of the Sun King is the brand new, erudite voice of an epic fantasy that sweeps you away into an empire reminiscent of ancient China, teeming with culture, doused in war, political intrigue, ancient proverb, philosophy, and a magic system that shares its roots with many others, but strikes out its own path in the genre. It’s for fans of the Poppy War who like their books a little more tame, and a little more hopeful, and for those who loved the Bone Daughter and its dive into traditional intricacies, and intricate plot.
Review: Skyward (Skyward #1) by Brandon Sanderson
Some reviews or taglines in the covers mention the non-stop action and amazing plotting of the book and yes, there is that too! But the characters and the growth (and losses) they experience through this book made me put the novel at the top of my favorites. Sanderson nailed the human part of going through such a crisis as an impending alien invasion, and enhanced it with crazy spaceship fights, crazy-yet-funny AI and a world of characters and a planet we truly want to know more beyond this first novel. I literally had to take a breather after I finished this book, something that never happened before. It touched me deeply, as if I knew Spensa and lived Detritus’ struggles against the Krell with her, as a friend. For me, Skyward opened a door to the possibility of living a book on a deeply emotional plane, something I’ve never experienced before.