Synopsis

Step into the magical realms of The Advent of Winter, where twenty-four self-published authors craft enchanting tales that will transport you to a realm of frost-kissed wonders. Originally released as daily stories throughout advent, this dark, winter-themed fantasy anthology invites you to journey through winter, one captivating story at a time.

With each story, you’ll discover a new world, a new adventure, and a new facet of the season. From tales of joy and beauty that warm your heart to stories filled with danger and horror that send shivers down your spine, The Advent of Winter is a treasure trove of diverse narratives.

Let these evocative tales wrap you in the spirit of the season, as you explore the many faces of winter’s magic. Whether you’re seeking the comfort of familiar traditions or the thrill of unexpected surprises, this anthology will make your winter days truly enchanting.

This anthology features stories by Thiago Abdalla, Kian N Ardalan, Zack Argyle, Cal Black, Ryan Cahill, TL Greylock, Tim Hardie, Natalie Kelda, Christer Lende, LL MacRae, Dom McDermott, Andrew D Meredith, HC Newell, Tatiana Obey, Quenby Olson, Palmer Pickering, JDL Rosell, Kerstin Espinosa Rosero, DW Ross, Karim Soliman, Tori Tecken, HL Tinsley, Jim Wilbourne, and AR Witham.

Review

“I wanted to let you sleep, but I’m afraid there is no more time. You must kill the last animal before the snow covers the ground.”

This was a great reading experience. There was so much variety in the writing, the themes, and the magic. Also, it’s a great way to sample some Indie authors who are already on your TBR. If not, this will absolutely explode your TBR. I went in with 5 fav Indie authors on the anthology list and came out with 10 new favorites. It is amazing how much of a punch each story packs within so few pages. The book on the whole is excellent and every fantasy reader will find more than a dozen stories that they will love guaranteed. I hope this becomes a yearly thing and we get Advent 2 soon.

Reviewing each story will be difficult, so I’m just going to list my top 5 favorite stories as the review itself.

1.      Innocence Lost by H.C. Newell –

“The journey wasn’t one he would survive, and he knew that. Welcomed it. His intention was never to make it back.”

This one genuinely blew me away. What has been achieved here in so few pages is tremendous. It was like a God of War speedrun. Such a great story and flashbacks were used expertly. I really hope H.C. Newell writes more in this world or turns this one into a bigger installment.

2.      The Blood that burns the winter snow by Ryan Cahill –

“But Death was a part of him and he would wield it without hesitation to protect the ones he loved.”

Now as much as I tell people The Fall should be read before Of Blood and Fire; I’m going to say this short story should be read after at least after Of Blood and Fire. It stands alone and can be enjoyed by itself fully but if one reads it after OBAF, one will cry within the first two pages. Great action sequences and greater emotions encompass this short story and shows that Ryan doesn’t need any more than just 15 pages to deliver impact.

3.      Frozen Hell by Karim Soliman –

“You can’t kill a soulless being. Unless you have the blades forged in the darkness.”

Again, this was a whole epic fantasy packaged in a short story. One family faces off versus a vengeful titan in an Egyptian + Norse mythology inspired world . I loved my time with this one and feel the same way I felt with H.C. Newell’s Innocence Lost. I want more.

4.      The Chrysmaws Case by Christer Lende –

“I swore she would always emerge victorious from any beast she faced as long as she never let any beast live.”

Buddy cop monster hunters get stuck in a time loop trying to rescue their colleague in a magic castle (ish). How can I not like this one? I loved everything about the writing that I went ahead and bought The Beast Hunters book immediately after this.

5.      The Fighting Chance by Dom McDermott-

“We will not return to hiding this night. Some of us will feast with our ancestors, but we will have a proud tale to tell them. And if fortune favours us, the rest will see the light of a new day.”

What a debut story. I was so glad when Dom confirmed that this short story was part of his upcoming novel: Throwback the Night. It ticked all the right boxes for me: magic that you can smell, snow golems, wolf monsters and magic crystals in a war setting.