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The Tower of Living and Dying by Anna Smith Spark
The Tower of Living and Dying is absolutely EVERYTHING you could want in a fantasy novel. Epic scope and an imagination that never quits for anything. When I read The Court of Broken Knives a couple of weeks ago, I was blown away by the sheer force of Smith Spark’s writing. The characterisation, the passion, and the endless possibilities of the worldbuilding. It’s been a breath of fresh air from the usual fantasy novels I’ve been known to read. I love Grimdark in all its devious nuances and deplorable characters but this feels different somehow, addictive and binge worthy. The Tower of Living and Dying continues straight on from The…
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Review: The Iron Crown by L. L. MacRae
The Iron crown is an ethereal vision of adventure and female badassery. Fenn has been cursed by the Myr. He can’t remember anything; He has no memories of where he’s come from, no memories of friends or family and he doesn’t know if he’s been put on this earth to do good or bad. The story takes off at such a pace I was quickly lacing up my Nikes and racing for the finish line. “The Dragons are the guardians of tessar, spirits of life of guidance and protection. Without them we are nothing.” The formula that the author concocted in order to produce this was both unique and special.…
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Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie | Book Review
“we should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged.” Before they Hanged is another masterpiece in storytelling and exemplary characterization. The first half the book felt like a continuation of the Blade Itself – a set up story…a massive prologue, if you like. Again, Abercrombie sets up the story with the consummate skill of masterful bard. It’s a story of epic proportions, vivid worldbuilding and terrible treachery. You are immediately catapulted into the world once more, carrying on from where The Blade Itself left off. Not a beat dropped, a breath wasted, or a thought discarded. The Blade Itself really was a set up book, introducing us to…
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The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie | Review
Well, isn’t The Blade Itself as deadly as a hushed-up autopsy? Grimdark? I swallowed it up and asked for another portion just like little Oliver begging for more. With its deadly plot and guillotine sharp character arcs, this is going to be a novel that I will take comfort in rereading time and time again. It’s a story that feels like a homecoming. Its cozy and deadly in equal measure (well as cozy as a dagger threatening to spill every drop of blood.) imagine wandering in the mountains and finally making your way home – a fire inviting you in, you can’t help but be enveloped by it…this is The…
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The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne | ARC Review
JESUS CHRIST ON A BURNING BIKE!! Never has there been a more impossible review to write. The Shadow of the Gods, a book that has not only captured my imagination but stolen my heart with the range of differing but equally loveable characters. Some you love to hate and some that carve a big gash across your chest with glistening sharp axe. The storytelling is magical but brutally real, the atmospheric worldbuilding enraptures you, you can feel the raw and biting waves as you travel with these Norse folks on longships, you can feel the ground they trod upon and you can feel the pressure of being a part of…
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We Lie With Death by Devin Madson | Review
You know what they say after a storm? It clears the air, but there was no calm after the storm in We Lie with Death. The world building is once again rich and brutal and I was once again delighted to see characters taking their own paths, accepting the hand that fate had dealt them and becoming all the stronger for it. I only very recently finished reading We Ride the Storm and the first thing I did was request the next book in the series on netgalley, thankfully the book gods granted my request and here I am basking in the glory of the empire of Kisia. I was…
