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bookish_benny's reviews
379 reviews
The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It's been a while since I read an ARC because of the pressure they can emit with their looming release dates and the rush to read it quickly to ensure your review is one of the first out. Fortunately I didn't suffer from this as I got tied down with work halfway through so this took me longer than planned to read, but I have now finished this debut book from Orbit's Senior Commissioning Editor, James Long (writing as James Logan).
The story begins with a young man called Lukan Gardova. Not on speaking terms with his father, and with his mother dead, he roams the land doing whatever he wants but doesn't have any of the money or grandeur you might expect from a noble family since an earlier incident cost the family dearly.
Early in the story he is tracked down by his father's retainer who advises that his father has been murdered but left a note for Lukan. This note sends Lukan on a mission across the sea in the hope of solving his father's murder.
I decided to read this book for a couple of reasons. The fantastic cover art by Jeff Brown really caught my eye. It gives off a caped crusader vibe with two characters on the roof of a building overlooking a city. The other reason was that it sounded like a fun fantasy story written by someone who has a lot of experience knowing what works in this genre.
From the get go this book is constantly moving, constantly pushing you to be intrigued about what might come next, while delivering fun, relatable characters who all have an air of mystery to them. The pacing in this story is perfect and there wasn't a time when I was reading it where there was something happening that wasn't fun.
The characters are half of the story and they are well written. Unique in their own right and great when interacting with one another. There are heartfelt conversations, heated discussions and some genuinely smile-inducing banter between them. I felt that Lukan especially came alive off the pages with Flea a close second, although I think Flea really grew within this story and is my favourite.
I really liked the worldbuilding and think that James has done a good job of setting up a world that will only get more interesting as this series progresses. It has a hard magic system with the gleamers and some soft magic with the faceless but I expect this will get more fleshed out in the coming stories.
This plot driven story is a good one. It's fun, simple enough to follow but also allows itself to be mysterious, keeping you guessing what will happen until the final chapters. I liked that it was kind of a murder mystery fantasy story but it was neither grimdark which I think some may be expecting. It skirts that middle ground that should resonate with all fantasy fans much like The Hobbit if only a little darker in places.
There are a couple of nods I noticed to Joe Abercrombie's First Law that put a smile on my face and put me in that famous meme/gif of Leonardo DiCaprio. One of the characters has nine fingers and one of the chapters is called The Blade Itself. There are probably more but those are two that I spotted.
I think the political intrigue could have been built on further and the number of characters reduced then this could have been a tighter story. As it stands there are a handful of characters that grace the pages, and provide forward movement of the story but in the end we know very little about and so this either leaves us with unknown elements left for a later time (which is a possibility but doubtful given how this story ends) or pieces of the world that will never be explored. I hope it's the former.
This is a fun story that will delight fantasy readers. It delivers some fun magic, devious villains and a murder mystery set against the backdrop of a large city full of hidden secrets you get to slowly uncover with Lukan, both as first time visitors. I hope the following stories really build on what James has began to build here because there is a really big opportunity for this to be an excellent epic fantasy trilogy.
The story begins with a young man called Lukan Gardova. Not on speaking terms with his father, and with his mother dead, he roams the land doing whatever he wants but doesn't have any of the money or grandeur you might expect from a noble family since an earlier incident cost the family dearly.
Early in the story he is tracked down by his father's retainer who advises that his father has been murdered but left a note for Lukan. This note sends Lukan on a mission across the sea in the hope of solving his father's murder.
I decided to read this book for a couple of reasons. The fantastic cover art by Jeff Brown really caught my eye. It gives off a caped crusader vibe with two characters on the roof of a building overlooking a city. The other reason was that it sounded like a fun fantasy story written by someone who has a lot of experience knowing what works in this genre.
From the get go this book is constantly moving, constantly pushing you to be intrigued about what might come next, while delivering fun, relatable characters who all have an air of mystery to them. The pacing in this story is perfect and there wasn't a time when I was reading it where there was something happening that wasn't fun.
The characters are half of the story and they are well written. Unique in their own right and great when interacting with one another. There are heartfelt conversations, heated discussions and some genuinely smile-inducing banter between them. I felt that Lukan especially came alive off the pages with Flea a close second, although I think Flea really grew within this story and is my favourite.
I really liked the worldbuilding and think that James has done a good job of setting up a world that will only get more interesting as this series progresses. It has a hard magic system with the gleamers and some soft magic with the faceless but I expect this will get more fleshed out in the coming stories.
This plot driven story is a good one. It's fun, simple enough to follow but also allows itself to be mysterious, keeping you guessing what will happen until the final chapters. I liked that it was kind of a murder mystery fantasy story but it was neither grimdark which I think some may be expecting. It skirts that middle ground that should resonate with all fantasy fans much like The Hobbit if only a little darker in places.
There are a couple of nods I noticed to Joe Abercrombie's First Law that put a smile on my face and put me in that famous meme/gif of Leonardo DiCaprio. One of the characters has nine fingers and one of the chapters is called The Blade Itself. There are probably more but those are two that I spotted.
I think the political intrigue could have been built on further and the number of characters reduced then this could have been a tighter story. As it stands there are a handful of characters that grace the pages, and provide forward movement of the story but in the end we know very little about and so this either leaves us with unknown elements left for a later time (which is a possibility but doubtful given how this story ends) or pieces of the world that will never be explored. I hope it's the former.
This is a fun story that will delight fantasy readers. It delivers some fun magic, devious villains and a murder mystery set against the backdrop of a large city full of hidden secrets you get to slowly uncover with Lukan, both as first time visitors. I hope the following stories really build on what James has began to build here because there is a really big opportunity for this to be an excellent epic fantasy trilogy.
Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen
4.0
Enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books but no-one to talk to? Come join The SFF Oasis, an amazing book discord! We have buddy reads, trilogy reads, live author Q&As, virtual badges to collect, Dungeons & Dragons, writer's cafe and much much more! It's completely free and very welcoming. If you'd like to talk about books with future friends you can join here: http://discord.gg/c2hXSP5MsX
Nophek Gloss is the debut novel from author Essa Hansen. Released just less than a year ago, it has been very well received by fans with a current Goodreads rating of 3.70 after 680 ratings and 192 reviews.
This is an awesome and captivating story. The story follows a protagonist called Caiden who goes from having the perfect life with his family to being in a nightmare that he can't wake up from. His whole universe is turned upside down and he has to really develop as a being to find the strength within him to get his life back on track. This sounds like a simple story but there are so many more hurdles and walls he needs to jump over and smash through to make it happen.
“You will learn to be vicious to survive. Multiverse has many tastes, and chews us up differently depending on species."
I think the thing that I liked the most about this story is actually the protagonist. Caiden has a very visible arc and as he grows, you feel yourself grow reading his personality. He starts off as a very simple-minded boy who doesn't understand what is happening but after he finds a spaceship and a crew of misfit aliens to run with, he realises that what he thought he knew of life, his family, his own being, isn't true at all and so searches for the truth.
The dynamics between Caiden and the other members of the misfit crew flow really nicely and he gels with some of them and doesn't gel with others. Some will find him a nuisance whereas some feel responsible for him. The story is all told through Caiden but in third person so this allows you to be a part of his story while also getting to see everything going on.
"I wouldn’t recommend trying to fit to others’ expectations. Create who you feel good being. And it’s all right if that changes too.”
As the story progresses Caiden inevitably meets other beings, alien, human and other and finds himself having to tread carefully as he navigates his new surroundings, finding out who he can trust and who he needs to be careful of. I really liked him as a character and I enjoyed the other characters, especially those that fall into the antagonist category, of which there are many.
My jagged edges don’t fit in this puzzle. I keep bouncing around, damaging everything I touch. Maybe like a river stone I’ll be smooth one day after years of tumbling.
Essa does a very good job of showing through her worldbuilding and dialogue that the same things we experience here with gender and diversity, are happening in the stars too. These things are not the focus of the story but do play a part in one of the character's lives. It felt so normal and genuine that it wasn't something I felt was pushed to earn brownie points or tick a box. This was something done really well because it fits naturally.
“Call me ‘she,’ or whatever you’re comfortable with for now, I don’t mind. You’ve had a huge dose of new lately, so don’t overthink it, but get used to fluidity and choice. Those rule the multiverse, if anything does.”
Worldbuilding is tough. I know, I've done it. You have thousands of little ideas and things to include but you can't fit everything in or else it becomes a encyclopedia of SFF and then you confuse readers. It's best to choose a few themes or ideas and make them polished. Essa has some really cool and unique ideas in this book that I loved. I won't spoil it by telling you here but there are numerous ideas which I haven't seen before.
As for the actual worldbuilding of planets and ships and other sci-fi bits, they're great. You have parts of the story in spaceships with enough detail and design explained for you to actually be able to picture the story or to experience the character's feelings as they zip through debris or outrun a bigger ship etc. The story mainly takes part on solid land or space stations of some sort and these are well designed, thought out and fleshed out onto the pages that you can really visualise them. The place referred to as The Den gave me Citadel vibes. This for me is really important. If the worldbuilding in a book isn't good then it becomes hard to stay engaged.
"Multiverse is full of distractions. Fighting, flirting, and . . . En loves all the F’s. Distractions.”
The pacing and action in the story is right on the money. We go from one drama to a tense standoff to a revelation of information back to a standoff and more drama. I really got Red Rising vibes from Caiden and this book. The combat in the book is really well written and believable too, which is really important. If it doesn't sound like it could happen (superpowers aside) then it won't be believable and if you don't believe it you're going to lose interest. Plenty of punches and kicks get you into the gritty action up close and personal with Caiden as he deals with those in his way.
Rating - 4/5 This is a really great debut novel from Essa Hansen. Nophek Gloss makes me excited to read more Sci-Fi. When you read this story, it's like Caiden and you are old friends discovering the universe together. The book flows nicely, builds up problems before building up Caiden and the characters all bring something unique. This has Red Rising and Mass Effect vibes so if you like them, you'll really enjoy this. The sequel, Azura Ghost, book 2 of The Graven is out December 7th (US)/9th (UK) by Orbit and I am really excited to see what happens next with Caiden.
Nophek Gloss is the debut novel from author Essa Hansen. Released just less than a year ago, it has been very well received by fans with a current Goodreads rating of 3.70 after 680 ratings and 192 reviews.
This is an awesome and captivating story. The story follows a protagonist called Caiden who goes from having the perfect life with his family to being in a nightmare that he can't wake up from. His whole universe is turned upside down and he has to really develop as a being to find the strength within him to get his life back on track. This sounds like a simple story but there are so many more hurdles and walls he needs to jump over and smash through to make it happen.
“You will learn to be vicious to survive. Multiverse has many tastes, and chews us up differently depending on species."
I think the thing that I liked the most about this story is actually the protagonist. Caiden has a very visible arc and as he grows, you feel yourself grow reading his personality. He starts off as a very simple-minded boy who doesn't understand what is happening but after he finds a spaceship and a crew of misfit aliens to run with, he realises that what he thought he knew of life, his family, his own being, isn't true at all and so searches for the truth.
The dynamics between Caiden and the other members of the misfit crew flow really nicely and he gels with some of them and doesn't gel with others. Some will find him a nuisance whereas some feel responsible for him. The story is all told through Caiden but in third person so this allows you to be a part of his story while also getting to see everything going on.
"I wouldn’t recommend trying to fit to others’ expectations. Create who you feel good being. And it’s all right if that changes too.”
As the story progresses Caiden inevitably meets other beings, alien, human and other and finds himself having to tread carefully as he navigates his new surroundings, finding out who he can trust and who he needs to be careful of. I really liked him as a character and I enjoyed the other characters, especially those that fall into the antagonist category, of which there are many.
My jagged edges don’t fit in this puzzle. I keep bouncing around, damaging everything I touch. Maybe like a river stone I’ll be smooth one day after years of tumbling.
Essa does a very good job of showing through her worldbuilding and dialogue that the same things we experience here with gender and diversity, are happening in the stars too. These things are not the focus of the story but do play a part in one of the character's lives. It felt so normal and genuine that it wasn't something I felt was pushed to earn brownie points or tick a box. This was something done really well because it fits naturally.
“Call me ‘she,’ or whatever you’re comfortable with for now, I don’t mind. You’ve had a huge dose of new lately, so don’t overthink it, but get used to fluidity and choice. Those rule the multiverse, if anything does.”
Worldbuilding is tough. I know, I've done it. You have thousands of little ideas and things to include but you can't fit everything in or else it becomes a encyclopedia of SFF and then you confuse readers. It's best to choose a few themes or ideas and make them polished. Essa has some really cool and unique ideas in this book that I loved. I won't spoil it by telling you here but there are numerous ideas which I haven't seen before.
As for the actual worldbuilding of planets and ships and other sci-fi bits, they're great. You have parts of the story in spaceships with enough detail and design explained for you to actually be able to picture the story or to experience the character's feelings as they zip through debris or outrun a bigger ship etc. The story mainly takes part on solid land or space stations of some sort and these are well designed, thought out and fleshed out onto the pages that you can really visualise them. The place referred to as The Den gave me Citadel vibes. This for me is really important. If the worldbuilding in a book isn't good then it becomes hard to stay engaged.
"Multiverse is full of distractions. Fighting, flirting, and . . . En loves all the F’s. Distractions.”
The pacing and action in the story is right on the money. We go from one drama to a tense standoff to a revelation of information back to a standoff and more drama. I really got Red Rising vibes from Caiden and this book. The combat in the book is really well written and believable too, which is really important. If it doesn't sound like it could happen (superpowers aside) then it won't be believable and if you don't believe it you're going to lose interest. Plenty of punches and kicks get you into the gritty action up close and personal with Caiden as he deals with those in his way.
Rating - 4/5 This is a really great debut novel from Essa Hansen. Nophek Gloss makes me excited to read more Sci-Fi. When you read this story, it's like Caiden and you are old friends discovering the universe together. The book flows nicely, builds up problems before building up Caiden and the characters all bring something unique. This has Red Rising and Mass Effect vibes so if you like them, you'll really enjoy this. The sequel, Azura Ghost, book 2 of The Graven is out December 7th (US)/9th (UK) by Orbit and I am really excited to see what happens next with Caiden.
The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston
5.0
Enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books but no-one to talk to? Come join The SFF Oasis, an amazing book discord! We have buddy reads, trilogy reads, live author Q&As, virtual badges to collect, Dungeons & Dragons, writer's cafe and much much more! It's completely free and very welcoming. If you'd like to talk about books with future friends you can join here: http://discord.gg/c2hXSP5MsX
This explosive debut is madder than a truck of hatters and more addictive than chocolate on your cheat day. Read on to find out why you all need to read this story.
I was given an ARC (Advanced Review Copy/Advanced Reader Copy) by Angry Robot in return for an honest review of this book which you will find below.
The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston is a story about monsters, revenge and lots and lots of killing. It's the kind of story that catches your attention like a kick to the balls by a drunk Scotsman.
We start the story with a brilliant prologue which really sets the possibilities of the world Cameron has created. The Demonologist, Black Herran, is the general of an army full of monsters, pirates, vampires, the undead and other devilish creations which are camped outside of a fortress when, on the eve of battle, she disappears. Her captains confused and unable to hold the army together scatter only for her to recruit them again for one last suicide mission forty years later.
"I have just unleashed one of the mightiest of all demons upon the Lucent Empire."
I first heard about this book from my friend on Twitter @FantasyBookNerd who put up a glowing review. I was immediately intrigued by the cover and his review sold me. I applied for an ARC and was lucky enough to get one. I then devoured this story like a starving demon gnawing on fresh flesh. It is by far the most memorable and enjoyable book I have read so far this year. It just oozes fun, brilliantly choreographed battles, expertly executed characters and iconic scenes.
The first thing you will notice when you read this book is that it is unlike other fantasy books and you are going to hear this comparison a lot but this is like Suicide Squad (2021) meets Kings of the Wyld (and maybe throw in a bit of Overwatch). Sometimes though when you have too many different ideas going on in a story it can take away from the enjoyment as you flick backwards to work out which character is which or lose enjoyment through confusion. This story has absolutely no problem in keeping you engaged while never once confusing you with the various characters, their species, the action or their own wants and needs.
"I don't give a fuck if you all die so long as I can take that Falcon Prince's head. Me, I'm dead simple to understand."
Cameron's prose is sleek and smooth like silk on a laminated floor. There isn't one part that felt like a speed bump in this book and the whole thing reads like an old favourite despite the fact that you are reading it for the first time. The story is a simple one. Black Herran and her crew have to defend Tarnbrooke, a town she has lived in for the past forty years from the rampaging religious zealots threatening to take over the whole of Essoran.
The characters are brilliant. To elaborate, there is Maeven (necromancer), Lorrimer Felle (vampire), Tiarnach (god of war), Amogg (orc warrior), Verena Awildan (pirate queen), and Jerak Hyden (crazy alchemist). They all feel real, have their own personalities, their own desires in the story and their inter-relationship actions and conversations really pull you into their conflict through their own eyes. You will really enjoy reading this story as you find a favourite character and root for them whilst also reading to find out what happens to the rest of them. The dynamics between the characters is so well crafted. The fact that they've been apart for forty years doesn't change the flow of conversation or their hatred for one another and it shows all over the page, pulling you in with it.
"The Kraken is coming."
The worldbuilding in Essoran is actually quite minimal. You will know of a handful of locations and visit less in detail but you will fully know the lay of the land as Cameron describes in varying detail the town of Tarnbrooke, the surrounding ocean and the people that live there. It really shows that you don't always need a lot of worldbuilding if you can paint the world through the eyes of many different characters thus not taking away from the pace of the story or the characters own journeys. This story is a very character driven, action focused story and there is constant action in here.
A lot of it is fighting but the fighting is excellent. At other times it might be tense planning of battles, someone setting traps, soldiers being terrorised by something in the dark or heated standoffs between monsters working with Black Herran. Regardless, it always moves the story forward and always has you wanting to just read one more chapter.
"he admired the taste of a human heart even more, he thought as he ripped it free and sank his fangs into the steaming organ."
To summarise, The Maleficent Seven is a fantasy book for adults and really is the kind of fun, excellent book that everyone needs to read. It's like Kings of the Wyld but the other way round - you're now reading from the monsters POV while "heroes" try to kill them as they provide one final stand-off and for me, I loved KotW but this is just that little bit more naughty.
Rating 5/5 - You need to read this book. Cameron Johnston is a fantasy name you need to look out for. The story that Cameron has painted on these pages is scarily good. Monsters, heroes, epic action, bigger monsters, constant twists and turns, brilliantly written battles and a hilarious and angry God of War. I don't know what else to tell you without spoiling it. Get it. Now.
This explosive debut is madder than a truck of hatters and more addictive than chocolate on your cheat day. Read on to find out why you all need to read this story.
I was given an ARC (Advanced Review Copy/Advanced Reader Copy) by Angry Robot in return for an honest review of this book which you will find below.
The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston is a story about monsters, revenge and lots and lots of killing. It's the kind of story that catches your attention like a kick to the balls by a drunk Scotsman.
We start the story with a brilliant prologue which really sets the possibilities of the world Cameron has created. The Demonologist, Black Herran, is the general of an army full of monsters, pirates, vampires, the undead and other devilish creations which are camped outside of a fortress when, on the eve of battle, she disappears. Her captains confused and unable to hold the army together scatter only for her to recruit them again for one last suicide mission forty years later.
"I have just unleashed one of the mightiest of all demons upon the Lucent Empire."
I first heard about this book from my friend on Twitter @FantasyBookNerd who put up a glowing review. I was immediately intrigued by the cover and his review sold me. I applied for an ARC and was lucky enough to get one. I then devoured this story like a starving demon gnawing on fresh flesh. It is by far the most memorable and enjoyable book I have read so far this year. It just oozes fun, brilliantly choreographed battles, expertly executed characters and iconic scenes.
The first thing you will notice when you read this book is that it is unlike other fantasy books and you are going to hear this comparison a lot but this is like Suicide Squad (2021) meets Kings of the Wyld (and maybe throw in a bit of Overwatch). Sometimes though when you have too many different ideas going on in a story it can take away from the enjoyment as you flick backwards to work out which character is which or lose enjoyment through confusion. This story has absolutely no problem in keeping you engaged while never once confusing you with the various characters, their species, the action or their own wants and needs.
"I don't give a fuck if you all die so long as I can take that Falcon Prince's head. Me, I'm dead simple to understand."
Cameron's prose is sleek and smooth like silk on a laminated floor. There isn't one part that felt like a speed bump in this book and the whole thing reads like an old favourite despite the fact that you are reading it for the first time. The story is a simple one. Black Herran and her crew have to defend Tarnbrooke, a town she has lived in for the past forty years from the rampaging religious zealots threatening to take over the whole of Essoran.
The characters are brilliant. To elaborate, there is Maeven (necromancer), Lorrimer Felle (vampire), Tiarnach (god of war), Amogg (orc warrior), Verena Awildan (pirate queen), and Jerak Hyden (crazy alchemist). They all feel real, have their own personalities, their own desires in the story and their inter-relationship actions and conversations really pull you into their conflict through their own eyes. You will really enjoy reading this story as you find a favourite character and root for them whilst also reading to find out what happens to the rest of them. The dynamics between the characters is so well crafted. The fact that they've been apart for forty years doesn't change the flow of conversation or their hatred for one another and it shows all over the page, pulling you in with it.
"The Kraken is coming."
The worldbuilding in Essoran is actually quite minimal. You will know of a handful of locations and visit less in detail but you will fully know the lay of the land as Cameron describes in varying detail the town of Tarnbrooke, the surrounding ocean and the people that live there. It really shows that you don't always need a lot of worldbuilding if you can paint the world through the eyes of many different characters thus not taking away from the pace of the story or the characters own journeys. This story is a very character driven, action focused story and there is constant action in here.
A lot of it is fighting but the fighting is excellent. At other times it might be tense planning of battles, someone setting traps, soldiers being terrorised by something in the dark or heated standoffs between monsters working with Black Herran. Regardless, it always moves the story forward and always has you wanting to just read one more chapter.
"he admired the taste of a human heart even more, he thought as he ripped it free and sank his fangs into the steaming organ."
To summarise, The Maleficent Seven is a fantasy book for adults and really is the kind of fun, excellent book that everyone needs to read. It's like Kings of the Wyld but the other way round - you're now reading from the monsters POV while "heroes" try to kill them as they provide one final stand-off and for me, I loved KotW but this is just that little bit more naughty.
Rating 5/5 - You need to read this book. Cameron Johnston is a fantasy name you need to look out for. The story that Cameron has painted on these pages is scarily good. Monsters, heroes, epic action, bigger monsters, constant twists and turns, brilliantly written battles and a hilarious and angry God of War. I don't know what else to tell you without spoiling it. Get it. Now.
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
5.0
Enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books but no-one to talk to? Come join The SFF Oasis, an amazing book discord! We have buddy reads, trilogy reads, live author Q&As, virtual badges to collect, Dungeons & Dragons, writer's cafe and much much more! It's completely free and very welcoming. If you'd like to talk about books with future friends you can join here: http://discord.gg/c2hXSP5MsX
Basically I loved it.
Basically I loved it.
The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
4.0
Enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books but no-one to talk to? Come join The SFF Oasis, an amazing book discord! We have buddy reads, trilogy reads, live author Q&As, virtual badges to collect, Dungeons & Dragons, writer's cafe and much much more! It's completely free and very welcoming. If you'd like to talk about books with future friends you can join here: http://discord.gg/c2hXSP5MsX
A really cool novella set in the world of Elantris (not that you’d know without reading it from Brandon’s postscript) that shows how good Brandon’s writing is when limited to a smaller-than-normal amount of words. Brilliant.
A really cool novella set in the world of Elantris (not that you’d know without reading it from Brandon’s postscript) that shows how good Brandon’s writing is when limited to a smaller-than-normal amount of words. Brilliant.
The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu
3.0
Enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books but no-one to talk to? Come join The SFF Oasis, an amazing book discord! We have buddy reads, trilogy reads, live author Q&As, virtual badges to collect, Dungeons & Dragons, writer's cafe and much much more! It's completely free and very welcoming. If you'd like to talk about books with future friends you can join here: http://discord.gg/c2hXSP5MsX
The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
5.0
Enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books but no-one to talk to? Come join The SFF Oasis, an amazing book discord! We have buddy reads, trilogy reads, live author Q&As, virtual badges to collect, Dungeons & Dragons, writer's cafe and much much more! It's completely free and very welcoming. If you'd like to talk about books with future friends you can join here: http://discord.gg/c2hXSP5MsX
The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
4.0
Enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books but no-one to talk to? Come join The SFF Oasis, an amazing book discord! We have buddy reads, trilogy reads, live author Q&As, virtual badges to collect, Dungeons & Dragons, writer's cafe and much much more! It's completely free and very welcoming. If you'd like to talk about books with future friends you can join here: http://discord.gg/c2hXSP5MsX
3.75 - A fun book with some brilliant action scenes. The storytelling felt a little jumpy at times but overall a fun adventure with some brilliant fantasy tropes.
3.75 - A fun book with some brilliant action scenes. The storytelling felt a little jumpy at times but overall a fun adventure with some brilliant fantasy tropes.
The Black Coast by Mike Brooks
3.0
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The Black Coast is a good starting book for The God-King Chronicles. It is not an excellent book and it is not a bad book.
The worldbuilding in this book is really good. It's believable and the mention of crossing the ocean really puts this image in your head that the world is two large continents or more, with warring tribes and differences of opinions via religions and personal beliefs.
Some parts in this book really stood out, namely the action parts with people like Rikkut and The Golden and other parts just seemed to be bits that I didn't want to read as much. The characters are believable which is great but I wanted more from some of them as they really faded into the background of the story.
The unique parts of this book were really hit and miss. On one part you have dragons who don't fly (as far as I can tell) and the Naridans ride them into battle which is really cool. Then you have the whole gender language and take, which for me, I have no interest in if I'm completely honest. At times, initially, it made the book trickier to read since I was having to re-read sentences to understand what was being said between each person.
To summarise, I enjoyed the book. I think the story is unique and I love multiple POV stories. I enjoyed the fantasy elements within this story and only wish some other parts were more fleshed out and more exciting. It is obvious to see that the author, Mike Brooks, is creating something bigger here. I just hope he can pull it off.
The Black Coast is a good starting book for The God-King Chronicles. It is not an excellent book and it is not a bad book.
The worldbuilding in this book is really good. It's believable and the mention of crossing the ocean really puts this image in your head that the world is two large continents or more, with warring tribes and differences of opinions via religions and personal beliefs.
Some parts in this book really stood out, namely the action parts with people like Rikkut and The Golden and other parts just seemed to be bits that I didn't want to read as much. The characters are believable which is great but I wanted more from some of them as they really faded into the background of the story.
The unique parts of this book were really hit and miss. On one part you have dragons who don't fly (as far as I can tell) and the Naridans ride them into battle which is really cool. Then you have the whole gender language and take, which for me, I have no interest in if I'm completely honest. At times, initially, it made the book trickier to read since I was having to re-read sentences to understand what was being said between each person.
To summarise, I enjoyed the book. I think the story is unique and I love multiple POV stories. I enjoyed the fantasy elements within this story and only wish some other parts were more fleshed out and more exciting. It is obvious to see that the author, Mike Brooks, is creating something bigger here. I just hope he can pull it off.
What Abigail Did That Summer by Ben Aaronovitch
3.0
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It’s here! The newest book in my favourite book series. It’s a novella but the two previous novellas have both been decent, can this one be just as good?
Some information about this book:
Release date: March 18th 2021
Published by: Gollancz
Pages: 183
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Rivers of London (Book #11, Novella #3)
Blurb:
GHOST HUNTER, FOX WHISPERER, TROUBLEMAKER.
It is the summer of 2013 and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake.
While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks chasing unicorns, Abigail is chasing her own mystery. Teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged, the teens return home – unharmed but vague about where they’ve been.
Aided only by her new friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real, and a posse of talking foxes that think they’re spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and more importantly – why?
This installment in Ben’s brilliant Rivers of London series about a police officer called Peter Grant who investigates magical crimes and disturbances within London is the first time we have seen Abigail (Peter’s cousin) in her own adventure. Cock-sure of herself, full of sass but street wise with enough wisdom for the humans and the foxes, we begin to find out what Abigail did in the summer of 2013 while Peter was away in Herefordshire during the events of Foxglove Summer (Book #5).
Abigail has learnt that foxes can talk and they seem to like her and so spending her summer of school, making friends, she soon finds herself pulled into the curious disturbance of children from her manor. For real.
“We’re walking down to the east side of the Model Boating Pond because I reckon there’ll be fewer people to notice that I’m carrying a talking fox around my neck.”
I’m a huge fan of the Rivers of London novels after stumbling across it somewhere and I read the majority of them back to back a couple of years ago which is a big thing for me to do as I get bored but the imagination, the investigation and the combination of crimes and magic made for a brilliant story. The books themselves contain demon traps (magical booby traps), talking dead people, poltergeists, vampires, wizards, river gods and lots lots more. They’re generally set in London and this book is no different, setting it’s feet in the area of Hampstead Heath.
Reading this from Abigail’s point of view I always knew that everything would be “toned down” to match her stature. I wouldn’t expect to find Abigail facing off against armed criminals (magically or firearms equipped) or dealing with large deities, be them river or others, and to be fair to Ben, he has toned this down well but at a cost.
Abigail finds herself dealing with problems suitable to her knowledge and abilities, kids going missing and the secretive foxes proving to be her allies while Peter was away, thus showing us (and herself) that she can handle business. The foxes themselves are cool secondary characters and I felt that Indigo was the perfect sidekick for Abigail to have with her during this story.
I thought the parts where there was action or the tensions were raised up were done well and the main threat in this story was a clever one. I wasn’t sure about the back story to this threat and if I’m honest, the parts revolving this threat were a tad confusing and in the end I didn’t worry about the details and just continued reading to enjoy the magical predicament Abigail was in since that is the highlight of the books for me, the cool magic.
As I’ve said, this is my favourite book series but I have to be honest in my reviews. I really wanted more, expected more even? Maybe Abigail could have stumbled upon people with guns carrying out a magical heist or something and set the foxes about to surveillance then bringing in Nightingale? The danger would have been grander but then so would have the pay off and excitement for long term fans. It was almost like this was a teens version of the Peter Grant novels I have come to love. I wanted more danger and I wanted more magic but the limits put onto Abigail by Ben meant that there was only so far she could have been pushed.
In terms of conveying a young black girl in London with the lingo that the kids use today, Ben did a great job and I genuinely felt like I was reading this from the point of a teenage girl. Ben also pulled in new characters (Simon’s Mum) and the River Fleet who I’m sure will make further appearances in the stories he writes which only adds to the options he has for further stories since I felt False Value (Peter Grant #10) took the story into places that weren’t where I wanted it to go.
If you are a Peter Grant fan then you should read this. It’s not a bad book at all, far from it, but you might be left slightly hungry for more when you have finished it. I felt the Tobias Winter novella, October Man, had a bigger magic punch than this one did and only wished this had more action but in terms of character development and bringing Abigail into the fold, it did well. I just wanted more.
If you are not a Peter Grant fan and are reading this for the first time then I highly recommend you check out Rivers of London (Midnight Riot in USA) which is the first book in this amazing series which I can only describe as “Harry Potter joins the Police in London”. It is a series criminally underrated, full of Urban fantasy action with smart writing and devious enemies.
If you would like to purchase Rivers of London then you can do so at Broken Binding and get a free 5% off by using the code BLURB5.
You can purchase What Abigail Did That Summer here on Amazon UK and Amazon US.
Thanks for reading and don't forget to check out the blog and drop a follow :)
It’s here! The newest book in my favourite book series. It’s a novella but the two previous novellas have both been decent, can this one be just as good?
Some information about this book:
Release date: March 18th 2021
Published by: Gollancz
Pages: 183
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Rivers of London (Book #11, Novella #3)
Blurb:
GHOST HUNTER, FOX WHISPERER, TROUBLEMAKER.
It is the summer of 2013 and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake.
While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks chasing unicorns, Abigail is chasing her own mystery. Teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged, the teens return home – unharmed but vague about where they’ve been.
Aided only by her new friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real, and a posse of talking foxes that think they’re spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and more importantly – why?
This installment in Ben’s brilliant Rivers of London series about a police officer called Peter Grant who investigates magical crimes and disturbances within London is the first time we have seen Abigail (Peter’s cousin) in her own adventure. Cock-sure of herself, full of sass but street wise with enough wisdom for the humans and the foxes, we begin to find out what Abigail did in the summer of 2013 while Peter was away in Herefordshire during the events of Foxglove Summer (Book #5).
Abigail has learnt that foxes can talk and they seem to like her and so spending her summer of school, making friends, she soon finds herself pulled into the curious disturbance of children from her manor. For real.
“We’re walking down to the east side of the Model Boating Pond because I reckon there’ll be fewer people to notice that I’m carrying a talking fox around my neck.”
I’m a huge fan of the Rivers of London novels after stumbling across it somewhere and I read the majority of them back to back a couple of years ago which is a big thing for me to do as I get bored but the imagination, the investigation and the combination of crimes and magic made for a brilliant story. The books themselves contain demon traps (magical booby traps), talking dead people, poltergeists, vampires, wizards, river gods and lots lots more. They’re generally set in London and this book is no different, setting it’s feet in the area of Hampstead Heath.
Reading this from Abigail’s point of view I always knew that everything would be “toned down” to match her stature. I wouldn’t expect to find Abigail facing off against armed criminals (magically or firearms equipped) or dealing with large deities, be them river or others, and to be fair to Ben, he has toned this down well but at a cost.
Abigail finds herself dealing with problems suitable to her knowledge and abilities, kids going missing and the secretive foxes proving to be her allies while Peter was away, thus showing us (and herself) that she can handle business. The foxes themselves are cool secondary characters and I felt that Indigo was the perfect sidekick for Abigail to have with her during this story.
I thought the parts where there was action or the tensions were raised up were done well and the main threat in this story was a clever one. I wasn’t sure about the back story to this threat and if I’m honest, the parts revolving this threat were a tad confusing and in the end I didn’t worry about the details and just continued reading to enjoy the magical predicament Abigail was in since that is the highlight of the books for me, the cool magic.
As I’ve said, this is my favourite book series but I have to be honest in my reviews. I really wanted more, expected more even? Maybe Abigail could have stumbled upon people with guns carrying out a magical heist or something and set the foxes about to surveillance then bringing in Nightingale? The danger would have been grander but then so would have the pay off and excitement for long term fans. It was almost like this was a teens version of the Peter Grant novels I have come to love. I wanted more danger and I wanted more magic but the limits put onto Abigail by Ben meant that there was only so far she could have been pushed.
In terms of conveying a young black girl in London with the lingo that the kids use today, Ben did a great job and I genuinely felt like I was reading this from the point of a teenage girl. Ben also pulled in new characters (Simon’s Mum) and the River Fleet who I’m sure will make further appearances in the stories he writes which only adds to the options he has for further stories since I felt False Value (Peter Grant #10) took the story into places that weren’t where I wanted it to go.
If you are a Peter Grant fan then you should read this. It’s not a bad book at all, far from it, but you might be left slightly hungry for more when you have finished it. I felt the Tobias Winter novella, October Man, had a bigger magic punch than this one did and only wished this had more action but in terms of character development and bringing Abigail into the fold, it did well. I just wanted more.
If you are not a Peter Grant fan and are reading this for the first time then I highly recommend you check out Rivers of London (Midnight Riot in USA) which is the first book in this amazing series which I can only describe as “Harry Potter joins the Police in London”. It is a series criminally underrated, full of Urban fantasy action with smart writing and devious enemies.
If you would like to purchase Rivers of London then you can do so at Broken Binding and get a free 5% off by using the code BLURB5.
You can purchase What Abigail Did That Summer here on Amazon UK and Amazon US.
Thanks for reading and don't forget to check out the blog and drop a follow :)