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REVIEW – A Ritual of Bone (The Dead Sagas #1) by Lee C. Conley
A Ritual of Bone is a unique and propulsive love affair with zombie fiction. It is new and refreshing and it was as ambitious as it was gritty and I was ready and willing to fight with the dead. It is the first book in the Dead Sagas series and manages to create individual plots (well more like mini-stories, really) that so perfectly interweaves at a crescendo leaving the reader gasping and hungering for more. The writing is visceral and the world-building takes you away into a time that bears no meaning but a time that aches to be discovered to be understood. Master Logan and his apprentice are dabbling…
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Review: The Darkest Dusk by D.W. Ross
The Darkest Dusk excels in everything Norse fantasy. The landscape, the characterisation, and the brutal display of humanity is stark and painful. The sequel to Cold From the North brings us a continuation of the story without negating everything I loved from book one. The story continues with a rush, like a snowstorm that wants to blind your vision, it disorientates you, it leaves you cold to your very bones and anything can blindside you. D.W. Ross has honed his skill and you can tell the love and devotion that has gone into creating this sprawling epic Norse fantasy. Book two of the Onyxborn Chronicles, The Darkest Dusk and immediately…
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The Underclass by Dan Weatherer | Review
Right from the start The Underclass grabs you by the throat. Its spindly fingers reach out, the flesh dripping like a tap that can never be switched off. It is an intriguing take on the zombie trope; the idea that a sense of consciousness and emotion can remain intact was one that initiated deep thought…is everything that we have seen in Hollywood zombie movies just glorified the creation as brain hungry street walkers? Imagine dying in some accident only to come to and realise that you are now an undead version of yourself, only your spouse and relations want nothing to do with you? That is the dilemma that is…
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Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw | Review
Well, hello that one came out of left field didn’t it? The Dawn of Wonder surprised me with the sheer force of its narrative and sense of adventure. A book that is part right of passage and part revenge. This was picked up by a whim and I’m extremely glad that it didn’t disappoint because it a story of epic proportions and an epic length to match. This is what I love about self-published fantasy; it can kick that story home and unleash hidden gems in amongst a populated genre. This name wouldn’t be out of place besides, Sanderson, Tolkien, and Gwynne. Dawn of Wonder ticked all the boxes. From…
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A Song For The End by Kit Power | Review
Well, well well. Once in a while you pick a book, and it has the ability to knock you straight on your arse! That is exactly what A Song for The End did to me. Kit Power’s writing has the uncanny ability to create a scene and torch it into your memory. Everything was vivid and pulsating and undeniably gritty and dark. A Song for the end introduces us to Bill Cutter. A man that seems to be just going from one bad decision to another. Aged thirty-five and still only a supply teacher, he’s not exactly in a happy relationship and the one thing that gives him joy is…
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The Station 17 Chronicles by Oli Jacobs | Review
Another year is drawing a close and whilst the times we are living in Is unknown and uncertain, one thing has become abundantly clear; we can rely on books to get us through. 2020 has brought me some new authors, especially ones that publish independently. The Station 17 Chronicles is the second book I have read and reviewed by Oli Jacobs and I’m stunned once again by his sharp wit, well-structured prose, and fantastical storylines. He has become a must-read author and I will go on to read his back catalogue. He was able to shock me and make my head implode with his stonker novel, Wilthaven. The Station 17…
