Epic

The End Of Magic by Mark Stay |Blog Tour

July 5, 2020 Yvonne 3 Comments

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the end of magic by mark stay - The End Of Magic by Mark Stay |Blog Tour

The End of Magic by Mark Stay
Published by Unbound Publishing on February 7, 2019
ISBN: 9781789650051
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, General, Historical, Magick Studies
Pages: 321
Format: eBook
Source: Author
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - The End Of Magic by Mark Stay |Blog Tour

Two powerful mages. One steeped in privilege, the other bound by a moral code. Their world is thrown into chaos by the end of magic.
Rosheen Katell is a wandering mage and, with Anzu her griffin, she’s worked hard to build a reputation as a trustworthy truth seer. She never lies, never kills.Sander Bree is a royal mage. He lives an easy life advising the king on matters of court and politics, but dreams of an apocalypse are giving him massive anxiety attacks.Very soon, their magic will be gone. A cataclysmic event will change their lives and world forever. Sander must keep a promise to save the life of a young girl that would have been difficult enough with magic, but is a suicide mission without it. Rosheen is forced to side with a murderous warlord, and her once-solid principles are tested and found wanting. Both will be set against one another in a war unlike anything the world has seen before, in this sweeping fantasy of magic’s ending. A stand alone fantasy novel for readers of Joe Abercrombie and Scott Lynch
** "The sort of book you give to people who say “prove to me why I should read fantasy”... A simply terrific read." – James Barclay, author of the Legends of the Raven series "Mark Stay paints his world and characters with deft, confident and dark strokes." – RJ Barker, author of the Wounded Kingdom Trilogy "The sort of book you give to people who say “prove to me why I should read fantasy”... A simply terrific read." – James Barclay, author of the Legends of the Raven series "Takes the tropes of high fantasy and uses them to wield an original, compelling and intricately plotted story... exactly the kind of fantasy that we need more of." – Gavin G. Smith, author of the Veteran series "Stay does for George RR Martin what Pratchett did for Tolkien." - Julian Barr, author of The Way Home"The End of Magic has one of the most compelling narratives as well as a strong authorial voice." ★★★★★ Amazon UK Reviewer
"Like Game of Thrones without the boobs!" ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer "This was a blast, hints of Joe Abercrombie’s books and his dark humour, but presented in a world in chaos." ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer "The most fun I've had reading a fantasy novel since Red Country by Joe Abercrombie." ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer "This book grabbed me in the first couple of pages... Couldn’t stop. Really want more!" ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer "I may never forgive the author for that (spoiler) death scene... *When you read it you’ll understand* Rarely have I shed tears so early on in a book." ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer
"A fun and intense read." ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer
"A fresh take on the perennial story of the golden catastrophe/age. The author has created a completely authentic fantasy world." ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer
"Normal fantasy conventions are distorted, magic is not dependable and there are evil, bloodthirsty villains at work." ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer
"The humour in the writing offset the blood and gore that featured throughout." ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer
"The author effortlessly creates a world that is both wonderfully fantastical and at the same time strangely real." ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer"Gripping and entertaining." ★★★★★ - Amazon UK Reviewer

The End Of Magic…an ambiguous title that could suggest many things. One thing that it does deliver on is the benchmark that epic fantasy should aspire to reach. In very grim times it brought an element of light-hearted hilarity that was very much needed. The magical system is very cleverly constructed in which that it is integrated seamlessly into the bones of the story. It is believable and is manifested as an everyday occurrence. I very much liked that aspect of the story. Stay is a genius in that he took the usual formula for fantasy novels and turned it upside down. Rules be damned!

I instantly knew the reader was going to be in good hands with the author. Mark Stay’s personality was pretty obvious in the initial few pages of The End Of Magic and I knew that this was a tale that was going to stay with me for the long term. Rosheen Katell, a freelance mage and truth seer, a strong character with an undercurrent of vulnerability and a narration that is both wary and exciting. Her character runs deep, and I often felt a bubbling cauldron of trepidation fizzle my nerves. I could anticipate disastrous events coming but when and where?

As a mage her job takes her from town to town and in any great fantasy, you need a trusty sidekick, let me introduce you to, Anzu, the pretty amazing griffin. I am partial to a dragon in fantasy plots but give me a griffin and I’m anyone’s. I mean, who wouldn’t want to own the most magical mythical creature? The king’s mage, Sander Bree – a mage that is fed up and desperately looking for a way out. One major thing they have in common is the Lapis moon – the place where they draw their power from. It has been relied upon for hundreds of years but what happens when a cosmic event happens, and magic disappears. Lives are drastically changed forever.

What are the consequences of such a world altering event? What choices are ultimately being forced into fruition? Rosheen, against her better judgement and morals is forced to help an evil warlord in order to save the life of her brother, Oskar. The things we do for love. Conversely Sander Bree has to come to the rescue of the king’s daughter. It’s a race against time and both mages will be tested beyond anything they have experienced before.

The End Of Magic takes on a sinister edge at times, but it is essentially a story of epic proportions, one of loss, betrayal and hilarity in equal measures. The writing invites the brain to ask questions, it didn’t feel unbelievable, a reason that I couldn’t stop reading. The author did a fantastic job of laying hints and this book lover was only too happy to lap them up. The human condition was constantly at the forefront of this story and the ability to examine and process the very real human emotions and motivations behind decisions and actions.

The End Of Magic was a non-traditional coming of age epic fantasy that was thrilling and exciting in equal measures. Fans of Raymond Feist and Brandon Sanderson will find much to admire. Action aplenty with a generous splattering of gore!

A massive thanks to the author and Heather @ Overview Media for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark 2 - The End Of Magic by Mark Stay |Blog Tour

Mark Stay co-wrote the screenplay for Robot Overlords which became a movie with Sir Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson, and premiered at the 58th London Film Festival. Author of the fantasy novel The End of Magic, he is also co-presenter of the Bestseller Experiment podcast and worked in bookselling and publishing for over twenty-five years. He lives in Kent, England, with his family and a trio of retired chickens. He blogs and humblebrags over at markstaywrites.com

Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

May 26, 2020 Yvonne 1 Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

legacy of ash by matthew ward - Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward
Published by Orbit on November 5, 2019
ISBN: 9780316457897
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Action & Adventure, General
Pages: 784
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

Legacy of Ash is an unmissable fantasy debut--an epic tale of intrigue and revolution, soldiers and assassins, ancient magic and the eternal clash of empires.A shadow has fallen over the Tressian Republic.Ruling families -- once protectors of justice and democracy -- now plot against one another with sharp words and sharper knives. Blinded by ambition, they remain heedless of the threat posed by the invading armies of the Hadari Empire.Yet as Tressia falls, heroes rise.Viktor Akadra is the Republic's champion. A warrior without equal, he hides a secret that would see him burned as a heretic.Josiri Trelan is Viktor's sworn enemy. A political prisoner, he dreams of reigniting his mother's failed rebellion. And yet Calenne Trelan, Josiri's sister, seeks only to break free of their tarnished legacy; to escape the expectation and prejudice that haunts the family name.As war spreads across the Republic, these three must set aside their differences in order to save their home. Yet decades of bad blood are not easily set aside. And victory -- if it comes at all -- will demand a darker price than any of them could have imagined.

Massive thanks to Orbit books for my review copy of Legacy of Ash. I’m a complete junkie for all things dark fantasy and grimdark and this lit a fire within my core in which every page I raced through kept stoking. The first book in the series, aptly named Legacy. This is a serious Tome sitting at 800 pages. It felt like I had the fantasy bible in my hands, every page sucked me in and enraptured my imagination. An extremely imaginative and ambitious debut with a whole new magic system, ancient kingdoms locking swords and world building so intricate and memorable that its imprint left a tattoo on the brain.

Penning a review for Legacy of Ash is no easy feat but I hope that I can impart some justice to it. The characterisation and the narrative is extremely complex and I would say it is comparable to a rubix cube – its easy to connect the dots when you know the system you are working with.

The Tressian Republic is still striving to conquer its neighbouring lands. We are given a robust and necessary prologue and it sets up the backstory beautifully. The people of the Southshires are given a beacon of hope – a phoenix that brings a desire to fight for freedom, a desire to find inner strength and a will to fight for what is theirs. Unfortunately, that desire is short lived. The hope dies with the Phoenix. The legacy dies and all that is left in its wake is ash. Fast forward fifteen years and The Tressians want to further their hold and their power. Caleen and Josiri are the surviving children of The Phoenix. They make a solemn promise to each other and their long dead mother to continue her vision and to make her legacy their own. They are currently imprisoned Branghall Castle. Can they find the means and the will to liberate the people of the Southshires? The impact of the curse of the human condition is clear to see in Matthew Wards characterisation of Caleen and Josiri. The self-doubt, the painful memories, and past regrets fester wounds.

Massive books float my boat. The story is given the opportunity to dive to the deepest depths. Books like Legacy of Ash is a tome and a half. The amount of work that must have gone into this must be akin to having a baby, it is their baby. This is the very embodiment of epic fantasy. This has been likened to A Game of Thrones but that is categorically unfair. This is a masterpiece in its own right.

Legacy of Ash is audacious, and a magnificent piece of penmanship set over sprawling worlds. Matthew Ward has taken every little thing you thought you knew about epic fantasy and tore it into tiny shreds. His reincarnation is entirely fresh and addicting.

Legacy Of Ash by Matthew Ward 1024x819 - Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

8508065 - Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

Matthew Ward is a writer, cat-servant and owner of more musical instruments than he can actually play (and considerably more than he can play well). He’s afflicted with an obsession for old places – castles, historic cities and the London Underground chief amongst them – and should probably cultivate more interests to help expand out his author biography.

After a decade serving as a principal architect for Games Workshop’s Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 properties, Matthew embarked on an adventure to tell stories set in worlds of his own design. He lives near Nottingham with his extremely patient wife – as well as a pride of attention-seeking cats – and writes to entertain anyone who feels there’s not enough magic in the world.

Matthew Ward Website

Blog Tour: The Girl And The Stars by Mark Lawrence

May 8, 2020 Yvonne 2 Comments

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

43155726. SY475 - Blog Tour: The Girl And The Stars by Mark Lawrence

The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence
Published by Harper Voyager on April 21, 2020
ISBN: 9781984806000
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Action & Adventure, Dark Fantasy
Pages: 384
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

five stars - Blog Tour: The Girl And The Stars by Mark Lawrence

A stunning new epic fantasy series following a young outcast who must fight with everything she has to survive, set in the same world as Red Sister. In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown. Yaz’s people call it the Pit of the Missing and now it is drawing her in as she has always known it would. To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same. Yaz’s difference tears her from the only life she’s ever known, away from her family, from the boy she thought she would spend her days with, and has to carve out a new path for herself in a world whose existence she never suspected. A world full of difference and mystery and danger. Yaz learns that Abeth is older and stranger than she had ever imagined. She learns that her weaknesses are another kind of strength and that the cruel arithmetic of survival that has always governed her people can be challenged.

The Girl And The Stars is certainly not Mark Lawrence’s first rodeo. However, It is the most poignant epic fantasy that I have experienced in a long time. The story envelops you like a long lost relative after decades apart…everything about it just feels right. This is the kind of story that leaves you grappling with the fight for cognitive cohesion. How on earth do you get your thoughts down in a review in regard to a book of this magnitude. The narrative took me hostage and posted my ransom. I didn’t want to be found, I wanted to be immersed in this world for the foreseeable future.

My kindle only made it through the read by the skin of its teeth. There are some elements of a story that just speak to you and The Girl And The Stars just had it all. it drew out unbreakable connections, the electricity snapping between us. The book quite simply felt like a living and breathing entity. You feel the emotion and the outpouring of love that Mark Lawrence has for this story and it spoke completely to the heart. It’s almost like the book knew how you tick and brought you everything you have been craving.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is a book that you can read a few chapters at a time. The Girl And The Stars will rapt your attention and the fight against it will be a futile struggle. Epic fantasy. Survival. Family. Unbreakable bonds and children of different abilities. The prose was like titanium – solid.

Mark Lawrence is an author that I have failed to get around to reading, I am ashamed to admit but now I have had a taste of his work, I will be seeking to change that immediately. He has brought The Girl and The Stars to life with such a glorious 8k dimension to it. He has created a fully immersive epic fantasy and surpassed all expectations – my brain wanted to explode. The world building was mind blowing and I was experiencing it in VR.

We meet Yaz, our sixteen-year-old female protagonist, a member of the ice tribe, the ictha. She knows that she cannot ascend to an adult member of the tribe without being judged by the regulator, Kazik. Yaz has known for many a year that she wasn’t normal, her abilities would be judged harshly and would end up being cast away into the pit of the missing, where all broken children end up.

Inadvertently or not Yaz ends up in the pit with her brother, Zeen. Her one and only mission is to save her brother, who in her mind, doesn’t deserve to be in the pit. After a considerable amount of time she comes face to face with a despicable giant – who just happens to gorge on the flesh of the broken. Yaz, however, is rescued by other members of the broken and she is introduced to a new clan that can survive below the ice. They have adapted to their new environment and Yaz has a whole lot of adapting to do.

The Girl And The Stars laser precise and hits its target every time. An intricate magical spell, you fall deep, and its rich narrative is a fresh take on a populated genre.

Thanks to Anne Cater@Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Lawrence was born in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, but moved to the UK at the age of one. He went back to the US after taking a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College to work on a variety of research projects including the ‘Star Wars’ missile defence programme. Returning to the UK, he has worked mainly on image processing and decision/reasoning theory. His first trilogy, The Broken Empire, has been universally acclaimed as a ground-breaking work of fantasy, and both The Liar’s Key and The Wheel of Osheim have won the Gemmell Legend award for best fantasy novel. Mark is married, with four children, and lives in Bristol.

MARK LAWRENCE

Blog Tour: Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1) by Zoraida Cordova

April 28, 2020 Yvonne Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

36115268. SY475 - Blog Tour: Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1) by Zoraida Cordova

Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova
Published by Hodder & Stoughton on April 28, 2020
ISBN: 9781368023801
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Action & Adventure, Survival Stories, Romance, General
Pages: 464
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Blog Tour: Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1) by Zoraida Cordova

Set in a lushly drawn world inspired by Inquisition Spain, Zoraida Córdova's hotly anticipated new fantasy is an epic tale of love and revenge perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Sarah J. Maas. I am Renata Convida.I have lived a hundred stolen lives. Now I live my own. Renata was only a child when she was kidnapped by the King's Justice and brought to the luxurious palace of Andalucia. As a memory thief, the rarest and most feared of the magical Moria, Renata was used by the crown to carry out the King's Wrath, a siege that resulted in the deaths of thousands of her own people. Now Renata is one of the Whispers, rebel spies working against the crown. The Whispers may have rescued Renata years ago, but she cannot escape their mistrust and hatred-or the overpowering memories of the hundreds of souls she drained during her time in the palace. When Dez, the commander of her unit-and the boy she's grown to love-is taken captive by the notorious Principe Dorado, Renata must return to Andalucia and complete Dez's top secret mission herself. Can she keep her cover, even as she burns for vengeance against the brutal, enigmatic prince? Her life and the fate of the Moria depend on it. But returning to the palace stirs childhood memories long locked away. As Renata grows more deeply embedded in the politics of the royal court, she uncovers a secret in her past that could change the fate of the entire kingdom-and end the war that has cost her everything.

Incendiary. The Ability to cause fires, and boy does this book burn up in your hands. Agreeing to take part in this book tour is one of the best decisions I have made. The book cover, the title and the words contained within was a dead cert to win hearts and capture aspirations. I opened the first page and I was lost to the magnificence and by the end I knew I would never be the same again. A maze of enchantment, the words melded into one and I was lost.

Upon turning the final page on this piece of art, I knew this would be a difficult review to write. Where would I find the right words to do the plot justice, the right words to capture the magic, the right words that will hypnotise your mind just like I had experienced. This review is going to messy, raw and gritty and by hook or by crook I hope I do this book justice.

Renata Convida. A woman. A warrior. A lover. The will to survive coursing through her blood, putting everything on the line to succeed in the ultimate goal. She is ready for anything. She is ready to lace those boots and kick some ass. She takes names, sheds some blood and unearths deep seated secrets. She has type of magic that strips away your memories and becomes her power. A power she can use. A power she can use against you. Give her the chance and she can take it all way from you. Leaving you nothing but a hollow. She is dangerous and never as dangerous as those she works with, The Whispers. They are a renegade team that are working to annihilate the crown that wishes them gone. They want to strip their power away, leave them with nothing and no ability to fight against them. Her lover and commander is captured by the system and Renata captains a team to go in and rescue him. It goes wrong – badly wrong and it will have lasting consequences for the team and Renata.

Incendiary is a magnificent take on the coming of age tale. It is a tantalising exploration of what makes us us. How events and trauma not only define us but strengthen us. The author at no point cowers away from storylines that makes the reader scream with frustration and anticipation. Our reactions make us face reality that we are not in control of how Renata reacts and tackles situations. Rest assured you are in good hands with the author. She will steer us right, she knows just how guide us to the end point, with ease.

The narrative is outstanding. The story moulds into something else as Renata grows and develops. Her magic doesn’t transform her into a higher being, but it takes its toll. As she takes more memories she loses a part of herself – her own early memories. Lost in grey. She knows what she must become to survive but just how does she do that? She must evolve. What came before? How does that translate to the battle that she must now face?

Incendiary is a testament to resilience and strength of character. It fizzes and crackles with electricity. A true coming of age fantasy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zoraida Author Photo 19 225x300 1 - Blog Tour: Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1) by Zoraida Cordova

Zoraida Córdova is the author of nine fantasy novels for kids and teens, most recently the award-winning Brooklyn Brujas series, Incendiary, and Star Wars: A Crash of Fate. Her short fiction has appeared in the New York Times bestselling anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View, Come on In: 15 Stories About Immigration and Finding Home, and Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft. She is the co-editor of Vampires Never Get Old: Eleven Tales with Fresh Bite. Her debut middle grade novel is The Way to Rio Luna. She is the co-host of the podcast Deadline City with Dhonielle Clayton. Zoraida was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. When she isn’t working on her next novel, she’s planning a new adventure.

For book, tv, & film rights related inquiries, please contact Victoria Marini.

Zoraida Cordova

Review: The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

March 26, 2020 Yvonne Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the unspoken name by a k larkwood - Review: The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood
Published by Tor Publishing on February 11, 2020
ISBN: 9781250238917
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Action & Adventure
Pages: 480
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

A. K. Larkwood's The Unspoken Name is a stunning debut fantasy about a young priestess sentenced to die, who at the last minute escapes her fate; only to become an assassin for the wizard who saved her.
What if you knew how and when you will die?
Csorwe does—she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.
But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.
But Csorwe will soon learn—gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.
“In the vein of Le Guin's magnificent Tombs of Atuan—if Arha the Eaten One got to grow up to be a swordswoman mercenary in thrall to her dubious wizard mentor. I love this book so much."—Arkady Martine, author of A Memory Called Empire
"I cannot recommend it enough." -- Tamsyn Muir, author of Gideon the Ninth
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Unspoken Name

Didn’t they teach you how to steal a ship at wizarding school?

A.K. Larkwood has created an ethereal vision of female badassery that I had completely laced up my feminist ass kicking boots by the end of chapter one. The formula that the author concocted in order to produce the masterpiece that my eyes and brain conversely lapped up was unique and special. She knew the compounds that go into writing a fantasy – they work, but the author decided to tear that rule book up and rewrite them completely! She drew me in with her hypnotic narrative and the familiar territory that I have become used to suddenly turned into a snake infested pit…but I was loving it!

The Unspoken Name was literally an experience. The author held me captive and threw me into the boot of her car and wouldn’t let go until the end. It was magnetism and I just couldn’t let go.

If you want a fresh take on fantasy, then The Unspoken Name should be right at the top of your TBR. Go in with no inhibitions, no preconceived ideas, forget genres, forget the rules. It will bend the confines of sub genres, it will blend societal themes and leave you feeling empowered and wrought with emotions. This book will blow your mind.

My immediate thought process after closing that last page was YES YES YES. It hit every button and I knew I would sell my soul to the devil himself to get book two. I need it right now, I NEED it. This is certainly a series that would translate well to a Netflix series and would rock my socks.

Page one set the tone imperceptibly. The protagonist, Csorwe, examines the predominate theme in the novel, that of choice. Life is one big choice, whether that is a deemed choice or a given one based upon expectations and a road that needs to be walked. When we meet her, she is very unremarkable, but she has a fate…she must die. A sacrifice to the gods. She must become a dead bride effectively. She has lived her entire life to get to this point. Her choices have been limited and not out with her remit of the cult she has been brought up in. what should happen if she was faced with a real choice? A choice that will change everything.

A.K Larkwood has evolved a narrative that takes the entire spectrum of colours and invents a universe that is a sparking ball of frenetic energy. It’s a close parallel to our own reality and it’s so vivid that it has taken on a life of its own.

If your only choice is death where do you go? When Csorwe is approached by the extremely charismatic wizard, Sethannai he bestows upon her a pretty obvious choice in my book, serve me and live or accept your fate and die. Well if I had been Csorwe I would have been crashing into him like the cool aid guy. I would have snapped his hand off. Sethannai has serious plans for Csorwe. He needs her in order to take back his kingdom of Tiaanthothe. The journey of her training and tribulations along the way made my giddy little heart happy. Watching her strength and confidence grow was everything I love in a protagonist. My brain felt numb from the onslaught of action and each chapter blended into the next. The words on each page felt like they became embedded in my brain, it became a part of me. I forgot I was reading, and this felt more like VR. It was a completely immersive experience.

The Unspoken Name is a beguiling and dark tale with mind blowing narrative that makes you forget your own name. it explores the darkest of emotions and translates into a magical joyride.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AKLarwood creditVickiBaileyofVHBPhotography - Review: The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

A. K. Larkwood studied English at St John’s College, Cambridge. Since then, she has worked in higher education & media relations, and is now studying law. She lives in Oxford, England, with her wife and a cat. Her debut novel, The Unspoken Name, will be published by Tor in 2020.

(Also, my favourite things to write about are:

loyalty ‘n’ betrayal
human sacrifice
immortals behaving badly
fraught banquets where someone gets murdered
fantasy archaeology
people bleeding a single aesthetic drop of blood as they die in the snow

… but in real life my main excitement day-to-day is when I get to cook a new kind of lentil.)

A.K. Larkwood

Review: The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin

October 18, 2019 Yvonne Leave a Comment

The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin
Published by Harper Voyager on October 21, 2014
ISBN: 9781466885783
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Animals, Mythical Creatures, Fantasy, Epic
Pages: 128
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

five stars - Review: The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin

The Ice Dragon is an enchanting tale of courage and sacrifice for young readers and adults by the wildly popular author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Song of Ice and Fire series, George R.R. Martin. Lavish illustrations by acclaimed artist Luis Royo enrich this captivating and heartwarming story of a young girl and her dragon.
In the world of A Song of Ice and Fire the ice dragon was a creature of legend and fear, for no man had ever tamed one. When it flew overhead, it left in its wake desolate cold and frozen land. But Adara was not afraid. For Adara was a winter child, born during the worst freeze that anyone, even the Old Ones, could remember.
Adara could not remember the first time she had seen the ice dragon. It seemed that it had always been in her life, glimpsed from afar as she played in the frigid snow long after the other children had fled the cold. In her fourth year she touched it, and in her fifth year she rode upon its broad, chilled back for the first time. Then, in her seventh year, on a calm summer day, fiery dragons from the North swooped down upon the peaceful farm that was Adara's home. And only a winter child—and the ice dragon who loved her—could save her world from utter destruction. This new edition of The Ice Dragon is sure to become a collector's item for fans of HBO's megahit Game of Thrones.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

This little book is a family favourite in our house. I originally heard it on audio years ago and fell in love with the beauty of the story. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a massive fan of GRRM. I read the Song of Ice and Fire series before I got around to this gem, but I could never be disappointed with GRRM beautiful prose. The illustrations are the finishing touch to a beautiful yet devastating story. No-one can write fantasy and capture the magic just like George can. He brings life and vitality to his characters, they grow up with us, they stay with us and we introduce them to our children like a family member to care for them once we’re gone. George’s stories will stand the test of time, his are the stories that borne my love for the fantasy genre.

It’s a hauntingly devastating story. It is penned as a children’s story, but it is for sure murky waters and there are some very adulty themes. It has Martin’s impeccable ability to incorporate the fragility of life and the darkness of the human condition. The writing as per usual is perfect. Everything is tightly wound together, and character development is well developed and systematic. A book by Martin is always going to be a winner.

The story is based around Adara. She lives on her father’s farm with her brothers and sisters. There’s always going to be an interesting back story with Martins characters and this family is no different. Adara’s mother died in childbirth with her. This is the kind of thing lifelong fans of Martin have come to expect from him (told you that real life is unkind, and he doesn’t sugar coat shit). Adora has a beautiful and kind nature and is known as the winter’s child. This reminds me so much of the idea of the undead wight children in the TV show, I can completely imagine her made of ice, with bright shining eyes and a captivating look about her. Devastating beauty. Being a winters child means she is completely unaffected by staying outside in the harsh winters. Cue her uncanny relationship to the Ice Dragon. This would lead to a strong bond of trust between them and her ability to ride the Ice Dragon.

Like I said this is an equally beautiful but heart-breaking tale of the fragility of life. We have a soulmate in life that doesn’t always take the form that is expected. A complex tale of love, war and death.

Epic

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Legacy of Ash is audacious, and a magnificent piece of penmanship set over sprawling worlds. Matthew Ward has taken every little thing you thought you knew about epic fantasy and tore it into tiny shreds. His reincarnation is entirely fresh and addicting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Girl And The Stars laser precise and hits its target every time. An intricate magical spell, you fall deep, and its rich narrative is a fresh take on a populated genre.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Incendiary is a testament to resilience and strength of character. It fizzes and crackles with electricity. A true coming of age fantasy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Unspoken Name is a beguiling and dark tale with mind blowing narrative that makes you forget your own name. it explores the darkest of emotions and translates into a magical joyride.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Footer