Synopsis Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together. Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics. He can summon butterflies with […]
Orbit Books
Review: Fathomfolk (Drowned World #1) by Eliza Chan
Synopsis Welcome to Tiankawi – shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that’s how it first appears. But in the semi-flooded city, humans are, quite literally, on peering down from skyscrapers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk — sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas—who live in the polluted waters […]
Review: Grave Empire (The Great Silence #1) by Richard Swan
This is a brilliant beginning to a new horror fantasy trilogy that I really hope catches on, as I’d love to see more overt horror in the fantasy genre. Grave Empire rules, and you need to read it right now!
Book Review: Third Rule of Time Travel by Philip Fracassi
TL;DR Review: Slow beginning ratcheting up to a high-suspense ending. An easy-reading time travel novel light on science and high on emotions. Synopsis: Rule One: Travel can only occur to a point within your lifetime.Rule Two: You can only travel for ninety seconds.Rule Three: You can only observe.The rules cannot be broken. In this riveting […]
SFF Addicts Ep. 144: How to Train Your Character with C. L. Clark (Writing Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they delve into a writing masterclass on How to Train Your Character with award-winning author C. L. Clark. During the episode, Cherae works out the fundamentals of character strength and training, including the body and the stories we tell ourselves, convincing fictional examples of physicality, how the body affects plot and character, biological sex, body type and societal standards, how to determine your character’s starting strength, an early defeat and setting the stakes, finding the ideal method for training your character, satisfying climaxes, boss battles, injuries and more.
Review: The Radiant King (Astral Kingdoms #1) by David Dalglish
Synopsis Six immortal siblings. Five sworn to peace. One demands a throne. Radiance, the mysterious power of life and creation, is theirs to command. Death cannot claim them. For hundreds of years, the ever-living ruled with ease. Yet when the world is nearly broken beneath their reign, the humbled six swear a They will sit […]
SFF Addicts Ep. 143: C. L. Clark talks Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf, Arcane, Teaching & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they chat with award-winning author C. L. Clark about her tie-in new novel Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf, Arcane, League of Legends and writing for a major IP, giving Ambessa more heart and complexity, the Magic of the Lost series, the influence of The Wheel of Time on her writing, teaching and editing, melding big and small-scale themes, writing badass female characters and much more.
Book Review: Grave Empire (The Great Silence Book #1) by Richard Swan
TL;DR Review: Bigger, more epic, and far more horror-drenched. A brilliant start to a tonally different but no-less-engaging new trilogy in one of my new favorite fantasy worlds. Synopsis: Blood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money. A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take […]
SFF Addicts Ep. 140: Creating a Shared Universe with Richard Swan (Mini-Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they delve into a mini-masterclass on Creating a Shared Universe with bestselling author Richard Swan. During the episode, Richard lays out the foundations for creating a fictional shared universe, including what a shared universe is, examples of shared universes (such as the MCU, Star Wars and Discworld), giving your world depth through details, languages, geography and more, the chronology of a shared universe, keeping track of world history, loose shared universes vs. linear shared universes, avoiding problematic plot holes, writing in different formats and more.
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Synopsis Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy. Now, a new crew has been assembled. […]
SFF Addicts Ep. 139: Richard Swan talks Grave Empire, Warfare, History & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they chat with bestselling author Richard Swan about his new novel Grave Empire, his lifelong love of video games, Star Wars and science fiction, The Art of War series and his experiences in self-publishing, working in law, lessons learned from publishing, leaving beloved characters behind, his historical fascinations, the brutalities of warfare and colonialism, soldiers and diplomacy, the afterlife, the ocean, sharks, fear and much more.
Review: Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Synopsis The planet of Kiln is where the tyrannical Mandate keeps its prison colony, and for inmates, the journey there is always a one-way trip. One such prisoner is Professor Arton Daghdev, xeno-ecologist and political dissident. Soon after arrival, he discovers that Kiln has a secret. Humanity is not the first intelligent life to set […]