Category Archives: Fantasy

books, Fantasy, Grim Dark, Reviews

The Silverblood Promise (The Last Legacy 1) by James Logan

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Stars: 4.5 out of 5

I think I discovered a new favorite fantasy series, y’all! I went into the book blind. I did read the blurb, but I didn’t look at any reviews on Goodreads or anywhere else. I was also in the middle of a reading slump (I still have about 9 books that I started, but that didn’t grab me enough to keep on reading). Well, this book delivered the excitement and immersive story that I needed!

I think the biggest draw in this book is the world. The city of Saphrona is almost a character in itself. It is so well described that I can see the shattered top of the Black Hand, feel the relentless heat on my skin, and smell the odors of rotting fish, sewage, and seaweed of its harbors. 

The mystery of what happened to the Phaeron, or even who they were, is also very intriguing. There are ruins of their civilization everywhere. Phaeron artefacts are prized higher than gold. Heck, there is even a magically created desert that hints at an ancient battle, but of the Phaeron themselves, we know nothing. And I think they are important to the story, since Lukan’s father was an expert on their civilisation, and he got assassinated. Not to mention that he left hints for his son along with a Phaeron relic.

But a book wouldn’t have grabbed me this quickly with a good story alone. I also need fleshed-out characters I can root for or hate. Here, we have both. Lukan is a lovable protagonist. He comes across as a loser and a bit of a drunk in the beginning of the book, but the more you get to know him, the more you discover that he has a moral core and a surprising well of courage (and foolishness) deep inside him. His interactions with Flea were some of my favorite episodes in this book. They really are like siblings, even if they aren’t related by blood. 

As far as villains go, I thought the main one was a bit of a caricature, even though I understood his motivations. No, of all the bad guys, it’s the Twice-Crowned King of the Kindred that terrified me the most. Here, we really have two beings who have no morals or scruples and who revel in inflicting pain on others. 

The only character that grated on my nerves was the Scrivener. She came across as a Karen, honestly. I kept expecting her to ask to speak to the manager. Glad we won’t be doing any more business with her in the next book. 

All in all, this is a fast-paced and engaging story with lovable characters set in a vivid and interesting world. I will definitely read the next book in the series. 

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

books, epic fantasy, Fantasy, Reviews

The Sword Defiant (Land of the Firstborn 1) by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan

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Stars: 2.5 out of 5

I loved the Gutter Prayer by the same author, so I was really excited about his new series… but ended up being disappointed. 

The worldbuilding is pretty run-of-the-mill fantasy here – a group of heroes who fit the traditional mold of paladin, warrior, barbarian, bard, thief, changeling, etc. save the world from an evil overlord. We have elves, and dwarves, and Wilders, and obviously humans. This is nowhere near as original as Gutter Prayer. But even that isn’t a deal breaker. I read plenty of classic fantasy that I loved.

I was also sold on the idea of telling the story of what happens after the heroes saved the world, and the world moved on, while they grew old and disillusioned. This could have been great! Unfortunately, this turned out to be boring.

The biggest issue with this book is the pacing. Alf spends so much time thinking about the past and how everything changed that he literally doesn’t do anything meaningful for 70% of the book. He wanders, he wonders, he regrets that Pier is dead. He wants his old band back together, even though it’s been 20 years, and they all became different people than when they defeated Lord Bone. He constantly overlooks the shady stuff his former companions do because they are the Nine, and they can do no wrong in his eyes…

He seems to constantly be reacting to the events instead of acting. This makes for a very boring character. And a very boring narrative, because nothing of note happens until about 60% into the story. Then the pace suddenly picks up, and the reader is bombarded with revelation after revelation, some of which had absolutely no foreshadowing. Why did we spend more than half the book twiddling our thumbs instead of setting up the big confrontation better?

I also didn’t particularly care about Olva and her quest to find her son. We barely meet Dewyn before he is kidnapped, so he is more of a plot device than a real person. And since he isn’t a real person to me, I couldn’t relate to Olva at all. And he doesn’t even become a real person by the end of the book, just a vessel for the return of a different being. 

I was bored for most of the book. I skimmed through chapters of the Council deliberating on useless stuff and Olva exploring the Isle of Dawn. All I felt was a mild irritation about Alf just wafling about and wanting him to act. Do something, anything! Yes, things picked up by the end of the book, but by then I was already checked out of the story.

As much as I loved the Gutter Prayer, I’m afraid this series was a complete miss for me.

PS: I received an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

books, Dark fantasy, Reviews

The Failures (Wanderlands 1) by Benjamin Liar

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Stars: 2 out of 5

That cover is gorgeous, by the way, and drew me to the book in the first place. The blurb sounded intriguing as well. And after reading the inspirations the author took from other authors that I love, like Sanderson and Erikson, this book should have been right up my alley. 

Then why was it such a frustrating read? Well, because of the squandered potential. The world is unique and intriguing. There was so much potential, but it is squandered.

The first problem is that because the world is unique, the author throws too much of everything at the reader at once, but at the same time, doesn’t explain enough of how this world functions or even how it all fits together. Case in point – the different POVs from various groups (the Killers, the Monsters, the Lost Children, etc.). We alternate between them from chapter to chapter, but NOWHERE does the author mention in which chronological order these events actually happen. For half the book, I was under the assumption that all these stories happened at the same time, just in different parts of the Wanderlands. So I was very confused when I started encountering characters from the other storylines in Sophie’s neck of the woods. Or when I discovered that Candle is another certain someone we follow in another story arc. This makes for a confusing and messy narrative where the reader is left to puzzle out what even came first and what is even important.

 As an aside, the whole Deadsmith story arc could have been cut out of the book without really impacting the overarching plot. Yes, he is the one who broke Candle and pushed another character on her path, but did we need chapters and chapters of his endless pursuit of his Prey? Just to see him appear for like two paragraphs at the end of the book and bugger off again? Also, what was the whole point of Lourde/West/Mr. Vulch? 

The other issue is the characters. They are so larger than life that they stop being characters and become caricatures. It’s hard to empathize with any of them apart from Sophie. By the end of the story, I didn’t care about what happened to any of them apart from Sophie and Ben, who, surprise, surprise, were the most human of them all. 

I was also disconcerted by the use of names of Christian origin in a foreign world. It’s not a future Earth, it’s a completely different world. So why do we have a James, a Chris, a Katherine? Or even Sophie, for that matter? I understand the Behemoth having Earth-sounding names, because they come to the Wanderlands from other worlds, some of which might be our Earth (as implied for Gun and Jackie), but the characters that are born and raised there? You don’t even have to use your imagination anymore to create names, ChatGPT can do that for you, so this screams of lazy writing.

Finally, I understand that this is the first book in a series, so it has to do a lot of setup, but I also expect to read a fully finished story arc – with a beginning, a middle, and a resolution, or a return to the status quo, by the end of the book. Here, we have a cliffhanger. NOTHING is resolved for none of the characters. Yes, you could argue that Sophie’s story gets some kind of resolution, but does it really? After almost 600 pages of setup, and hints at something catastrophic, we just end mid-action, almost. There are more questions than answers. Where is Winter? What is happening in the rest of the Keep? Why did the Consort take the Cold Key? 

As it stands, I was left frustrated and disappointed by the end of this book, and with no desire to read the next one.

PS: I received an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

books, Reviews, Urban fantasy

Dark Game (Lance Brody 1) by Michael Robertson Jr

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Stars: 2.5 out of 5

This was entertaining enough that I felt engaged with the story and cared about what happened to Lance and Leah, so I feel that a 2.5-star rating is earned. However, there are a few problems with this book that put me on the fence as to whether I will continue with the series. 

First, this book is listed as the first in the series, but it starts with Lance on the run from something horrible that happened in his hometown. Something that probably killed his mother. This is very confusing for a first-time reader who doesn’t know that there is a prequel novella about these events. It can be frustrating because it feels like we are missing a big chunk of the story.

The second issue is that Lance doesn’t exactly think things through before he rushes headfirst to fight evil. This results in him being more of a damsel in distress who needs help and rescue from others, be it Leah, her father, or the paramedic. And people get hurt because of that. I would have liked him better if he had displayed at least some semblance of planning before rushing into the unknown. Also, he is no superhero; heck, he admits that his powers don’t work on demand, so this recklessness is rather jarring with the rest of his character. My hope is that, being the first book, he will grow out of it as he matures. 

The insta-love between him and Leah was also a bit cringe. In fact, I found that a lot of interactions between Lance and other characters were rather far-fetched. He just seems to “feel” which people are good and trustworthy. And these people just take his crazy stories at face value and agree to help him with everything he needs. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t work that way. 

Also, it feels like everything comes too easily for him. He senses great evil in the town, and lo and behold, he meets Leah, who is EXACTLY the person to help him with that. He gets hurt in the car crash, but not to worry, because Leah’s friend is a paramedic, who patches him up and doesn’t even think about reporting him to the cops, even though he fled the scene of an accident where a cop was killed. He gets trapped by the big bad… and once again is rescued by somebody else. If you look at it, Lance didn’t DO anything to defeat this evil. He just showed up in town, created havoc by stumbling around like a bull in a China shop, and then let other people rescue him and save the day. 

We are told over and over that he is special, but none of his actions in this book illustrate that. Again, this being the first book in the series, I hope that Lance evolves as a character and matures in subsequent books, but I am not sure I want to invest my time in finding out.

books, epic fantasy, Fantasy, Reviews

The Lost War (Eidyn 1) by Justin Lee Anderson

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Stars: 2 out of 5

I was excited about this book when I read the blurb. It also has raving 5-star reviews on Goodreads, so I was really looking forward to a great new epic fantasy series when I picked up this book…

That excitement turned into confusion within the first few chapters. It really felt like I was reading the second, or maybe third book in a series, not the first one. Characters kept mentioning events that happened or things they did, and I was like, What am I missing? I even went on Goodreads to check that there wasn’t a prequel or something I missed. Nope, this is book 1. 

And I could have pushed through the confusion and still liked the story. There are plenty of wonderful books that literally drop you in mid-action and let you figure out the world and what the heck is happening as the book progresses. Unfortunately, this book isn’t one of them. 

The problem here is that nothing that happens for the first 70% of the book matters where the story is concerned. The characters meander from point to point and keep making seemingly random detours. It almost feels like the author had a plethora of great ideas and didn’t want to sacrifice any for the sake of the plot, so he plopped them all in. What’s the harm, right? Especially since none of it matters, once you get to the plot twist in the end. Well, it made for a bloated and boring narrative. 

The characters could have been the saving grace of this book, but I hated all of them, apart from maybe Samily. I especially grew to despise Aranok. He is supposed to be one of the most powerful magic users in the kingdom, and the King’s Envoy (with or without memory modification). Yet he behaves like a spoiled 5-year-old with poor impulse control. He is a grown man, for Pete’s sake! Why does he throw temper tantrums every time something goes wrong or someone dares to go against his orders? He treats everyone else around him with such smug superiority, I wanted to slap the shit out of him most of the time.

And all the female characters just fawn all over him and excuse/justify/downplay his horrible behavior. Because he is so “special”. Excuse me? I haven’t seen his “specialness” in this book, not even once. I’ve seen him make stupid decisions and put himself and his companions in mortal danger time and time again. And it fell on others to pull his butt out of the fire every time. 

I also found it extremely irritating that he kept questioning Samily’s faith. That was rude and boorish, as well as painted him in a very negative light. We get it, you are an atheist. That doesn’t mean you have to disrespect someone else’s faith or try to make them miserable because of it.

I also don’t particularly like when the author fridges characters just for shock value, like he did with Vasin and Glorbad (spelling?). Also, what the heck is it with these unpronounceable names? And Minygogg, really? Maxigogg was already taken?

I also don’t think that the plot twist ending justified the meandering plot and boring sidequests. If anything, it made me mad that I wasted so many hours reading a story that didn’t particularly matter because it was all a lie. That I had to endure countless pages of Aranok being an ass just to learn that, hey, even with his memories restored, he is just as big on ass. Needless to say, I have no desire to follow his adventures into the next book. I think this series and I will be parting ways on book 1.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

books, Fantasy, Reviews

The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed

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Stars: 5 out of 5

This is a wonderful fairy tale in the best tradition of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. The true and harsh tales, not the sanitized Disney versions most of the modern children grew up with.

Veris has to venture into an enchanted forest to rescue the children of the man who was responsible for her parents’ death. This already presents a huge moral dilemma for her, because she hates the Tyrant and everything he represents, but she also understands that the children are innocent, even if they are his.

Because these enchanted woods are not the Disney fairy tale woods. They are dark and ancient, and cruel, but they have rules. Follow those, and you might, just might survive the trip and even come back whole.

I loved the description of the woods and the horrors and wonders that call them home. The author uses language like a scalpel to craft mesmerizing images of beauty and horror at the same time. These woods are alien, their inhabitants even more so. And I was genuinely afraid for Veris and the children, because what can mere mortals do against something this ancient and powerful?

We need more stories like this.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, YA

Abeni’s Song by P. Djali Clark

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Stars: 5 out of 5

I don’t usually read YA as a rule, probably because I am a few decades past the age when those particular stories were interesting to me. However, I had fun reading this one because it’s very well-written and avoids the pitfalls of other young adult books – insufferable heroines, children who seem to be smarter and better at everything than adults, or dreaded love triangles. 

This is more of a fairy tale and a coming-of-age story or even a hero’s journey story, and it plays by the rules of those genres. Yes, Abeni can be annoying and quick to judge others, brash and even stupid at times, especially at the beginning of the story, but she grows and matures as we follow along. This is very much a journey of self-discovery for her. It’s also a story of found family, of seeing past differences and finding friends in unexpected places. And about courage as well. Not only the courage to confront an evil that terrifies you because it’s the right thing to do, and there is nobody else to do it, but also the courage to take a long, hard look at your own motivations and shortcomings and acknowledge that you were wrong.

I like how we see Abeni growing up and assuming the role of protector for the newly reborn Asha, even though she is still a child herself. Yes, it’s terrifying, and Abeni tries to pass that duty to others, like Asha’s sister, but she still does what she feels is right in the end. 

And no hero’s journey would be complete without trials and adventures. Some are scary, some are sad, and some are there to remind us that there is always a light even in the darkest places. I loved the episode in the Vale of Lost Things. It is an amazing place to visit, though I wouldn’t want to stay there permanently. 

I also liked that Abeni had to confront how anger and resentment can warp people when she confronted the Goat Man. In a way, she could have chosen the same path. He’d even said that she had a lot of anger burning inside her, and that the Witch King could use that anger. I think it’s one of the reasons why she was so upset about how the villagers treated Songu and why she agreed for him to come with them at the end of the book.

Abeni started this book losing everything – her family, her friends, her home. She ended the book having found new friends as well as a purpose in life. And I think she also learned several valuable lessons.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

books, Dark fantasy, Fantasy, Reviews

Grave Empire (The Great Silence 1) by Richard Swan

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Stars: 5 out of 5

I really loved this book! And I think I found a new favorite dark fantasy series to follow. Also, I didn’t realize that this was a continuation series to a previous series called Empire of the Wolf, though from what I saw, Grave Empire happens several centuries into the future, so knowledge of the prequel isn’t a must. In any case, I will definitely go back and read that series as well while I wait for the next book.

What I liked the most was that the world feels lived in. You can feel the weight of centuries and the lore and history that comes with it. I was also surprised to see that this particular world is in the throes of the industrial revolution, instead of the usual medieval setting so common to fantasy worlds. It was fun to see how stage coaches and steam engines would coexist with magic and horrors from beyond the grave.

The protagonists were also fun to follow. I felt sorry for Peter, who felt like a fish out of water most of the time. He didn’t want to be an officer or be sent so far from home. He only accepted the commission because his late father bought it for him, and he really didn’t feel particularly welcome at home anymore. He is faced with unimaginable horrors, on top of all his doubts about being a coward or an incompetent officer, and he ends up… something else. I’m sure he will have a crucial role to play in the next book.

Renata is a lot more independent and opinionated. She also has nerves of steel. Nothing in her training as a diplomat would have prepared her for the horrors she had to face by the end of this journey, yet she persevered where a lesser person would have lain down and waited for the end. And the hidden reservoir of grit in that girl surprised everyone, even herself.

The only character I really didn’t care about is Lamprecht. He is simply despicable. And I don’t understand why Yelena was helping him in his research for so many years. Why didn’t she put a stop to it as soon as she realized that he wanted to bring one of the vacants back to Sova with them? I know that he is set up to be the villain in the next book and a foil to Renata and Peter, but the man really has no redeeming qualities, whereas the other two are pretty multifaceted people. It makes me almost a caricature instead of a character.

I loved the hints at different other races and their origins, and how science and progress can coexist with religion when the existence of the afterlife is a scientifically proven fact. I would have loved to learn a bit more about Nema Victorianism and how it differs from Nema Conformism, and why those differences are considered so big that nations go to war because of them. I understand that it’s a nod to the splintering of the Christian church back in the day, but I would have loved more details.

All in all, though, I am looking forward to the next book. The board is set, the pieces have taken their places; let the best player win.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Romantasy

Dragon Unleashed (Fallen Empire 2) by Grace Draven

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Stars: 3.5 out of 5.

I loved the first book in the series, so I was excited to see how the author would take the story of the fall of a horrible Empire further. Unfortunately, I didn’t like this book as much as the first one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a good story, just not as strong as the first one. 

I think it’s partly because I wasn’t as invested in Halani and Malachus as I was in Gilene and Azarion. They are good characters, but they didn’t quite work for me as a couple. I love Halani and her relationship with her mother Azil, but adding Malachus into the mix? Let’s just say that their explosive romance wasn’t as organically developed as the one between Gilene and Azarion.

Probably because Gilene and Azarion had to overcome some pretty messed-up things together – escaping Kraelag, surviving a cursed city, and navigating the politics and hostilities of Azarion’s homecoming. They had to rely on each other and saved each other’s lives on multiple occasions, so their growing respect and affection felt earned.

With Halani and Malachus, we don’t get any of this. This is basically a story of Halani finding a wounded man and nursing him back to health, and he falls in love with her for that. Nothing particularly bad with this setup, but it makes for a rather boring story. For most of the book, there are no stakes. Yes, the Empress wants to mother-bond, but it’s a distant kind of treat, which doesn’t affect the main couple until we are past three-quarters of the book. Most of the book is just them milling about in the free traders’ camp, away from danger. 

So to me, Malachus’s obsession with saving Halani in the end doesn’t feel earned, because their love hadn’t grown organically or been tempered or tested before that moment. I understand the parallel the author wanted to draw between Goldar trying to save her daughter and Malachus saving his lover, but it doesn’t hit the same as the raw despair Azarion felt when he watched Gilene immolating Kraelag. 

But while I was lukewarm about the main couple, I really liked the side characters, especially Azil and the other free traders. Though I don’t understand how Hamond is still the leader of the caravan after all the heartache he caused. And seeing a glimpse of Gilene and Azarion finally reunited and happy was a welcome sight. Oh, and seeing the Spider of the Empire finally getting what she deserves was also a very welcome bonus. 

So all in all, I still had fun with this book, just a lot less than with the first one.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

The Inheritance (Breach Wars 1) by Ilona Andrews

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Stars: 5 out of 5

I am not ashamed to say that the writing duo behind Ilona Andrews books is my favorite contemporary writers. Seriously, I don’t think there is a book by them that I read (and I read almost all of them) that I didn’t love. This one is no exception.

The Inheritance takes place in the same universe as Innkeeper and the Edge series, though on a parallel Earth that is, it seems, loosely attached to Dina’s world (at least to Baha-Char). And it stars an absolutely badass female protagonist. Ada isn’t a fighter. In fact, as Ellias would say, she is the definition of a non-combatant. Her talent is to come into a breach once the fighting has been done, determine what rare minerals or biologicals are there, and tell the mining crew where to dig (or what to pick up). But boy does she get an upgrade in this particular breach… 

I won’t touch any more on that, because that would spoil the story, but let’s just say she is a different person when she comes out, all the while staying true to what has always driven all her actions – keep her children safe and ensure that they inherit a better world than the one she has to live in. And all through this story, Ada is absolutely human and relatable. I understood her reactions and her motivations, and I admired her determination to push ahead to matter what, even though she had to make some hard choices. The presence of Bear, the ever-awesome German Shepherd turned killing machine also helped.

Ellias is just as interesting a character, though we got less of him in this book, which was understandable. This is Ada’s story. Ellias mostly had to sit on his butt and fume about the delay of getting back into the breach (and destroy a desk or two in his impatience). I can’t wait to see how their relationship evolves in book two. Once they overcome their suspicions, they could be unstoppable. 

It was also so satisfying to see London get a good portion of karma by the end. I reread that passage several times just for the pleasure of seeing him fly 20 feet backwards.

All in all, the House Andrews delivers yet another fantastic book in an original and interesting world… And now we have to wait a couple years before we get the sequel.