Category Archives: Book Reviews

Days of Sun and Glory by Anna Belfrage (@abelfrageauthor) – Review

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Title – Days of Sun and Glory (The King’s Greatest Enemy #2)
Author – Anna Belfrage
Genre – Historical Fiction
Publication – June 2016
Pages – 418
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis      

Adam de Guirande has barely survived the aftermath of Roger Mortimer’s rebellion in 1321. When Mortimer manages to escape the Tower and flee to France, anyone who has ever served Mortimer becomes a potential traitor – at least in the eyes of King Edward II and his royal chancellor, Hugh Despenser. Adam must conduct a careful balancing act to keep himself and his family alive. Fortunately, he has two formidable allies: Queen Isabella and his wife, Kit. England late in 1323 is a place afflicted by fear. Now that the king’s greatest traitor, Roger Mortimer, has managed to evade royal justice, the king and his beloved Despenser see dissidents and rebels everywhere – among Mortimer’s former men, but also in the queen, Isabella of France. Their suspicions are not unfounded. Tired of being relegated to the background by the king’s grasping favourite, Isabella has decided it is time to act – to safeguard her own position, but also that of her son, Edward of Windsor. As Adam de Guirande has pledged himself to Prince Edward he is automatically drawn into the queen’s plans – whether he likes it or not. Yet again, Kit and Adam are forced to take part in a complicated game of intrigue and politics. Yet again, they risk their lives – and that of those they hold dear – as the king and Mortimer face off. Once again, England is plunged into war – and this time it will not end until either Despenser or Mortimer is dead. Days of Sun and Glory is the second in Anna Belfrage’s series, The King’s Greatest Enemy, the story of a man torn apart by his loyalties to his lord, his king, and his wife.

Review

After reading In the Shadow of the Storm, the first book in The King’s Greatest Enemy series I just couldn’t wait to get to grips with this one.

We are back with Adam and Kit. Adam owes Lord Roger and also the young prince his life and in this tale he’s torn between the two men he cares for.

The story follows perfectly from the first book and instantly you can recall all the events of the previous tale and the injury’s inflicted on Adam at the hands of Hugh Despenser.

Mortimer is out gaining allies before he intends to come back to England to take the throne. During this time Adam is in service to the Prince and has to deal with the constant mutterings in his direction.. you see people think Adam is a traitor.. well Despenser does. Adam’s only flaw in my eyes is that he is loyal.. Loyal to a fault.

When the young Prince is sent to France on behalf of the King, Adam must go with him… with Kit in tow. Let’s just say it’s not an easy thing for them to do.

There’s more romance in this book compared to the first and a lot of jealousy between Adam and Kit as they get attention from other parties. At times I felt it overshadowed the overall plot but it really did help you understand how strong the connection between these two characters is.

There’s a lot of pain and anguish for Kit, I won’t spoil it but she has a lot to deal with once again as she’s pulled from pillar to post. Adam and Kit really need each other to get through this one.

For me the best bits of this book involved Despenser.. he must be such a wonderful character to write.. He’s evil and twisted and has the favour of the King… basically he can do what he wants but he knows without the King’s protection he would be a dead man.

Despenser is blinded by hatred for Adam. He wants to finish what he started and all he needs is one mistake to get Adam hauled up in chains. He’s a vile man but this ever present danger keeps you hooked.

It’s his love for Despenser that has put King Edwards’s position in jeopardy and as the tale is told it becomes clear Adam doesn’t see a way for the King to make it out alive.

The end of this book had a lot of twists. While my opinions on characters didn’t change fully I found myself seeing things from a different perspective.. Will Mortimer be any better than Despenser?

One of the other things i really enjoyed in this tales was the constant threats.. you never quite know who to trust..spies could be anywhere and some are forced into their actions..it just adds to the tension building up.

This is a very character driven tale with a solid plot behind it. A bit heavy in the romance for my tastes but nothing that takes anything away from the story. It just makes the emotional scenes between Adam and Kit’s become more real, it’s their tale.. the rest are just along for the ride.

It’s not a heavy read either.. it flows nicely at a steady pace and builds up the excitement for you as it goes along.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review her work. I’ll certainly be reading more of Anna’s work in the future!

Where the Waters Turn Black by Benedict Patrick (@benedictpaddy) – Review

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Title – Where the Waters Turn Black
Author – Benedict Patrick
Genre – Fantasy
Publication – 16th November 2016
Pages – 227
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

When gods and monsters battle, her music will not protect her…

The Crescent Atoll is a remote string of tropical islands, connected by long canoe journeys and a love of stories.

When Kaimana, a young ocarina player, discovers the lair of a taniwha – a legendary monster – she finds herself inspired. The song she is composing about their encounter will be her masterpiece, but her disturbance of the beast attracts the ruining gaze of the god of war. She must convince the taniwha to trust her if they are both to survive.

Where the Waters Turn Black is a standalone novel from Benedict Patrick’s Yarnsworld series. Inspired by the myths and legends of South Pacific island cultures, this book is perfect for those seeking fantasy stories with a hint of the unfamiliar.

Start reading today to discover this epic tale of friendship, gods and monsters!

Review

After Benedict’s previous work They Mostly Come Out At Night I was left wanting..wanting more of his work. Fortunately for me and you the author hasn’t kept us waiting long..phew.

We are back in the wonderfully dark and exciting world the author has created full of gods and monsters that will send shivers down small children’s backs.

I loved this book. It feels like a fairytale.. but not the Disney kind.. the true kind.. think The Brothers Grimm. Myths told to scare the little ones come to life and change the life of one person in particular..Kaimana.

From the opening sentence I knew I would enjoy this – “There’s a monster in the village” and this author has a real knack for creating the weird and wonderful that switches on my brain giving me the blissful feeling of using my imagination to see this world myself.

The tale is fast paced..would have liked it slowed down a bit so I could really enjoy the world and people the author has created but saying that the author has fit in a lot of content into less than 230 pages.

So you’ll want to know a bit about the book..

First off one thing I really loved about the author’s previous work and this one is how he separates the chapters with little tales, myths, folklore from the world he’s created. I’ve not read anything like it before and it really shows off the author’s imagination to the fullest.

Kaimana is part of a traveling group of performers. She has the knack but hasn’t reached her full potential yet. When the group heads back to her former home this is a chance to see her parents but she’s kind of an outsider in her own home since she didn’t follow in the family footsteps.

This feeling of being an outsider is what I think draws her to go searching the woods when she’s told a monster is lurking..she just doesn’t think of the consequences .

After disturbing the creature the travelling group are asked to leave and they head out to their next destination.. little do they know the taniwha has become connected to Kaimana.

Kaimana is certain this connection is what is needed for her to become a legend..to create a song that will be shared for generations.

Along the way on this adventure we meet gods..good and bad..and more monsters. We even see the Magpie King make an appearance :).

I won’t spoil the overall plot for you but this was another well written tale from a strong author that you should definitely keep your eye on.

The tale is one of friendship & loyalty and the fantasy edge really makes this one hell of an interesting book to read.

Another plus for me is that the book is written in such a way that even though it’s connected with the previous tale you don’t have to have read that book first, you can read them in any order.. Although I’d strongly suggest you read it at some point..Damn it was good.

I can’t wait to see what Benedict comes up with next!

The book is out today! To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review the book

The Last Day of Captain Lincoln by @EXO_Books – Review

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Title – The Last Day of Captain Lincoln
Author – EXO Books
Genre – Science Fiction
Publication –Nov 2015
Pages – 133 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Captain Lincoln’s last day is the hardest day of his life.

An old, onetime Captain of the interstellar spaceship USNAS Hope Eternal, Lincoln always knew that this day would come. For just as birthdays are carefully planned, so are deaths. And although he must reckon with his fate, this is not a somber story. It is a tale of love and sacrifice, told in the context of the most advanced civilization ever to exist—a society that has taken to the stars in an effort to save all that is best in humanity.

Follow Lincoln through his internal struggles, his joy in having lived, and his journey to peace.

The End is just the beginning.

Review

Where do I start with this one.. wow.

This is a tough read..not in a bad way.. It’s tough read as I couldn’t help but feel sad reading the moving tale of of Captain Lincoln and his last day alive. I can honestly say I didn’t want to finish this one.. I didn’t want to him to go.

In the future a spaceship sets out to save humanity from society itself. Everyone aboard this ship has a role and plays their part. Everyone has some worth and respect.

It was decided some time ago that the ship just isn’t able to support ever increasing amounts of people.. so in the ultimate sacrifice when the oldest people on the ship turn eighty they make way for a new batch of children.

Everything is advanced compared to today but you can see the links. These people have access to the ships database just like we have access to the internet but they use it much more efficiently than we do.

It’s an emotional tale as we follow Lincoln as he goes through the motions of his last day. Sharing his thoughts with loved ones and also trying to explain death to the younger generation.

What really got me thinking with this book is simply how much we take for granted our lives. We just live day to day never knowing when it will end. How would you act if you knew exactly when you would die? It certainly makes you reflect on life.

The most moving bit has to be the fact he has a partner on board who is younger than him so he goes into his final sleep knowing she will be left behind and there’s an emotional scene between them towards the end of the book which really does bring a lump to the throat.

As we near the end of the tale my heart was heavy. I couldn’t help but wonder how I would say goodbye if I knew the end was coming and it really helped me connect with Lincoln.

I must say I loved the book but also the illustrations by Kimberley Hazen.

Definitely one to read but be warned you’ll want to give your nearest and dearest a hug afterwards.

A wonderful, thought provoking read that leaves you with a heavy heart. Beautiful.

I highly recommend you take a look at fellow reviewer’s opinion which I feel perfectly sums up the tale – click here to read the review from Liz @ Cover to Cover.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

The Dead God’s Shadow by @LeeCarlon – Review

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Title – The Dead God’s Shadow
Author – Lee Carlon
Genre – Science Fiction
Publication – July 2013
Pages – 160 Pages Approx.
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Avril Ethanson has left Frake’s Peak and Lord Obdurin’s schemes behind. He hopes to find a member of his cadre at mysterious Lancity which was unaffected by the Cleansing. Unknown to Avril, there are forces waiting for him–Valan the Wolf and the Dead God’s priesthood–intent on using him and his connection to Lord Obdurin and Rhysin.

The Dead God’s Shadow is the third story in the Bastard Cadre series and continues where The Godslayers’ Legacy ended.

Review

This is book 3 in The Bastard Cadre series and for me it’s the best yet.

Yes I’m late to the party with this being released 3 years ago but these tales are absolute gems that need to be read.

We are back with Avril as he set outs from Frake’s Peak to get away from Lord Obdurin. I’m not sure Avril really knows what the plan is but he ends up heading towards Lancity where I can feel the connection of one of his cadre mates.

Lord Obdurin split Avril’s cadre up many years ago, the hope was to make them stronger when they eventually came together but with so many players in the game Avril really doesn’t know who to trust.. or what he really wants out of this whole mess of a situation.

I think the complex plot and motivations is really want makes this book as good as it is. You never know who to trust and with crazy Death Priests lurking in Lancity things aren’t looking good for Avril.

I really enjoyed the basic idea behind the series. Gods exist but pick a chosen one to manifest their will through. This chosen, like Lord Obdurin seem to know that the gods will does affect them but it’s not clear if they truly know how much. These chosen then have their cadre’s to serve and protect them and the loyalty they show just enforces the bonds created.

So far this is the best in the series. It develops Avril so much as the main focus is on him and it’s exactly what i was after.

This tale isn’t perfect and that’s what I love about it.. let me explain. A lot of books I read have a clear/perfect path set out, you may not know the ending when you start reading but by the end you find you’re not that surprised with the outcome.. with this series it’s so different.. it’s a true pleasure to read as you really don’t have any idea where the author will take things.. a refreshing dark, post-apocalyptic tale that has me hooked.

If I remember correctly the author billed this series as Science Fiction without the word count and I couldn’t agree more. The author packs so much into the tale, everything seems well covered and you are given such a good plot that quite frankly I couldn’t believe was under 200 pages.

I said it after I read the first book and I’ll say it again. For me this is a very highly underrated series that ticks all the boxes.

The only thing that could be improved on is the cover. While i like the simplicity of it, it doesn’t convey anything to the reader at first glance and without that hook you might just pass this beauty by.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Smashwords.

Dark Fragments by @RSinclairAuthor – Review

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Title – Dark Fragments
Author – Rob Sinclair
Genre – Thriller
Publication – 8th November 2016
Pages – 340 pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Dark Fragments: an edge of your seat thriller from the best-selling author of The Enemy Series

Murder. Money. Revenge.

Outwardly, Ben Stephens appears to be a normal, hard-working family man. In reality, his life has been in turmoil since the murder of his wife, Alice, seven years ago. The killer was never caught.

Now re-married – to the woman he was having an affair with while still married to Alice – Ben’s life is once again spiralling out of control, and he’s become heavily indebted to an unscrupulous criminal who is baying for Ben’s blood.

When Ben’s estranged twin sister, a police detective, unexpectedly returns to his life, asking too many questions for comfort, it becomes clear that without action, Ben’s life will soon reach a crisis point from which there will be no return.

In order to avoid falling further into the mire, Ben must examine the past if he is to survive the present – but just how much pressure can one man take before he breaks?

Dark Fragments is a fast-paced thriller with a blend of mystery, suspense and action that will appeal to readers of psychological thrillers, as well as a broad section of crime, thriller and action fans. If you like authors like Mark Edwards, Robert Bryndza and C.L. Taylor you will love this unforgettable thriller.

Review

First off I must admit I’m new to Rob’s work but I’ve heard many a good thing about his work so when I was offered the chance to review this book I jumped at it to see what all the fuss was about.

Did Rob live up to expectations? More than I could have imagined!

The book follows Ben. His past is marred by the death of his wife but we quickly learn that over time he has moved on.. the tone of the book is set early on and you know things won’t turn out rosy for Ben.

He’s is in deep with a local criminal.. who may have links to his murdered wife and Ben’s estranged sister is keen as a detective to exploit her brother..go down that rabbit hole and see what she can find..

Along the way Ben’s character gets darker. He’s holding a lot of the puzzle pieces but we have to wait for things to be pieced together. This suspense was done perfectly. Just the right amount to keep me reading without me getting bored.

One of the best things about the story has to be the plot itself, so well written and one hell of a twist thrown in at the end!

I really enjoyed this book being told from Ben’s perspective also, we really see him fragment as his world falls apart. There’s a lot going on in Ben’s personal life and his sister opening old wounds shatters this perfect life he’s hoping for. His kids mean the world to him and you really feel for him at times.

Since the focus of the tale was on Ben few characters have enough word count to develop but the story didn’t need it… it’s his tale.. and i loved it.

At one point I did wonder why Ben and his twin sister didn’t get along; I didn’t quite understand why the author didn’t build on this but the author gives small slithers of info as the book goes along that gather to make the full picture.. in the end everything becomes clear and you have that “Oh My” moment when clarity hits.

I’ve wanted to read some of Robs work for a while now and I’m very glad I finally had the chance.

A brilliant and well thought out story that had me interested from the start. Great development of the lead character and one hell of a finish leaves me in no doubt I’ll read this authors work again.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work. An ARC by no means guarantees a good review and i look forward to reviewing the authors previous works which i gladly paid for 🙂

The book is out today! to find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

The Ares Weapon by D.M. Pruden (@prudenauthor) – Review

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Title – The Ares Weapon
Author – D.M. Pruden
Genre – Science Fiction
Publication – 1st Oct 2016
Pages – 270
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Armageddon is Up for Auction…

Dr. Melanie Destin’s life is a mess. In a desperate attempt to start over, she accepts an interplanetary salvage job that will pay her enough to rebuild a new life on Mars. When she learns the real purpose of the mission is to recover an apocalyptic virus, everything begins to unravel…

Planetary governments compete to control the pathogen which the expedition leader plans to steal. Meanwhile the corporation that hired her wants to eliminate anyone involved…

With her life in danger and not knowing who to trust, Mel must find a way to keep the virus out of the wrong hands. If she fails, billions will die…

The Ares Weapon, the first book in the Mars Ascendant Series, is a sci fi thriller about the consequences of humanity’s Mars colonization and effort to terraform the planet. If you like science fiction with a strong female lead character, ruthless villains and a page turning plot, you’ll love The Ares Weapon.

Review

This tale follows Melanie Destin, a Dr down on her luck.. who lands a job just when she needs it! Is this job too good to be true? And why all the bad luck??

A couple of the major plus points for this book are firstly, the twists. You’re never quite sure who is a good guy and who is bad. You only get the full picture when the author decides its time to reveal all. This had me guessing characters motivations so kept me really interested in the tale. Secondly the plot itself, the idea of a weaponised pathogen out there was great, I liked the idea there were multiple parties interested in retrieving the weapon and each had their reasons for doing so. I also loved the Nano tech employed in the tale.

This was a rather interesting read that improved the further on I got with it. I can’t put my finger on why but I never fully warmed to the main character Melanie.

I must admit I loved some of the other characters Agent 324 for a start.. devious, never quite knowing what he has planned.

Another idea the author explored was the mortality police which I found fascinating. In my opinion too many people lack morals in this world so the idea of a place where these people can be punished hooked me in.

The book has a decent word-count with a good amount of descriptiveness which in turn leads to a faster paced tale once the action gets going. This is non hard core science fiction.. the author has tackled the areas he wanted to and hasn’t got bogged down explaining every minute detail.

Overall it was a good read with just the right amount of descriptiveness vs plot to keep your brain engaged. I’d certainly like to see where this one goes that’s for sure. The author has left plenty strands of the tale available for the next book so it should be a good one!

This book would be good for anyone who hasn’t really tried Science Fiction before.. it’s not too in-depth which means it’s a nice easy and fun read

Have a look!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work.

Blood and Blade by Matthew Harffy (@MatthewHarffy)- Review

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Title – Blood and Blade (Bernicia Chronicles #3)
Author – Matthew Harffy
Genre –  Historical Fiction
Publication – 1st December 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

635AD. Anglo-Saxon Britain. A gripping, action-packed historical thriller and third instalment in The Bernicia Chronicles. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell.

Oswald is now King of Northumbria. However, his plans for further alliances and conquests are quickly thrown into disarray when his wedding to a princess of Wessex is interrupted by news of a Pictish uprising.

Rushing north, Oswald leaves Beobrand to escort the young queen to her new home. Their path is fraught with danger and uncertainty, Beobrand must try to unravel secrets and lies if they are to survive.

Meanwhile, old enemies are closing in, seeking brutal revenge. Beobrand will give his blood and blade in service to his king, but will that be enough to avert disaster and save his kith and kin from the evil forces that surround them?

Review

I’m so glad to be back in Beobrand’s world..it’s not been that long since the last book but I’ve been chomping at the bits and boy did Harffy use the time well!

Straight from the off the book just felt tighter, more defined. Beobrand has been wonderfully developed over the last two tales in the series that he’s grown and I felt this growth allowed for the plot of this tale to become the best one yet of the series.

Fans of Harffy won’t be disappointed with this one, Beobrand is haunted by his past more than ever and this time things are taking more of a toll on our hero. Beo isn’t fully healed after the injuries he received in the last book..he’s getting older but he’s as sharp and deadly as ever.

Harffy easily brings you back into the world he’s created. The first few chapters are written so well to hook you in but also remind the reader of some of the main characters in the tale. I won’t spoil it for you but these early chapters stood out for me.. it set the tone of the tale and included some very moving moments with Beo’s closest. We really see how much the events in the past have changed Brobrand..he’s one death away from a complete breakdown.

Beo is a man torn. He misses his wife and the events surrounding her death still haunt him, although there’s a potential love on the cards for him in this tale. You can really tell how hard this must be for him.. he loves his wife.. but he yearns for physical love..I feel he’s lost so much he just needs someone by his side, to keep him warm, to make him feel alive..and to give him something to live for.

While performing his duties for King Oswald Beo still has his own issues to deal with.. namely Nelda and Torran who don’t seem to want to give up on the idea of vengeance any time soon.

The plot for this one really was brilliant, there are lots of strands to the tale to make it wonderfully full and complex but so well written it’s effortless to follow and understand.

One of the highlights for me was how well the author dealt with changing attitudes towards religion and medicine. There are some really great scenes with one of my favourites Coenred but if I say any more it will really ruin the enjoyment for you.

The major thing I really like is Harffy’s ability to remind you of the events of the previous books..even just mentioning the name Cathryn brings me back to the first book in the series.. the emotions I felt at the time flowing back.

This is the best yet from Harffy, who has put so much time into crafting and developing such a rich and invigorating tale.. more than once I gritted my teeth and shouted obscenities in my head (I don’t like to swear while on public transport 🙂 ). I’ve really been taken into the series and credit to the author I really care about how things play out.. from the moment I open the book the world around me shuts off and the only thing that exists is this wonderfully brutal and harsh world Beo lives in.

I must admit towards the end of the tale I wasn’t sure if Beo could make it out alive or not..there’s some brilliant twists to this tale and fans of Harffy will know anything is possible…I had my hand over my mouth a number of times thinking it was the end for Beobrand.

I’m excited to see what the author comes up with next but at the same time I’m truly scared. I don’t want this series to end..

Overall this is a whopper of a book, Harffy builds on his well-developed characters and throws in a super plot. It’s the brutal dark gloomy tale we expect for Beo but the author always leaves you with that feeling that Beo can right the wrongs that have been done and that although he can’t change the past there is always hope.. Things can in time.. hopefully..get better..

Let’s wait and see.

The book is available now for pre-order here .

Song of Princes by Janell Rhiannon – Review

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Title – Song of Princes (Homeric Chronicles #1)
Author – Janell Rhiannon
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length –   490 Pages
Publication – June 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The TROJAN WAR

SONG OF PRINCES, Book One of the Homeric Chronicles

Sing Muse. Sing of the shining citadel of Troy rising from the hot sands of Asia. Sing of the Greek palaces ascending from their rocky hilltops. Sing of one woman’s dream heralding the madness of men and the murder of innocents. From bull dancing rings and wild meadows, the Forgotten Prince must choose between love and a golden crown. From seclusion and safety, the Golden Warrior must choose between his honor and his life. From behind the Great Wall, the Golden Prince must choose between his family and his city. And from a rugged realm on the far side of Greece, the Warrior King must choose between his son’s life and certain exile. Here shepherds and princes, warriors and kings, and seers and lovers seek to conquer their passions, outwit destiny or surrender to it.

PARIS, the FORGOTTEN PRINCE. Abandoned at birth and raised as a shepherd, Paris believes he is destined for a simple life. His heart belongs to the nymph, Oenone, until the beautiful Helen forces him to choose.
ACHILLES, the GOLDEN WARRIOR. Destined to live a short life, Achilles becomes the young lover of a princess who he abandons for the passions of war. He discovers that love is his only weakness.
HEKTOR, the GOLDEN PRINCE. As guardian of the citadel, Hektor must balance his heart’s desire between the beautiful Andromache and the people he’s sworn to protect.
ODYSSEUS, the WARRIOR KING. Forced into a war against his will, Odysseus leaves his young wife, Penelope, behind. Their love must stand the test of time and temptation.

Where did their legends begin before their lives converged at Troy in one of the most famous battles of all time? The HOMERIC CHRONICLES tells the stories of Paris, Achilles, Hektor, and Odysseus in one chronological tale, beginning before the ILIAD and ending long after the ODYSSEY. Blending both history and myth, the Homeric Chronicles will satisfy your love of Greek mythology, while paying homage to the original storyteller, Homer.

SONGS OF PRINCES begins with the birth of Paris and Achilles, and introduces us to a young Hektor and Odysseus. The journey of the princes begins…

Janell Rhiannon has a Master’s degree in history. It was during her years studying Alexander the Great that she came to love the Greek and Roman myths. She loves warfare and romance. Visit her Amazon Author Page or visit her at http://www.janellrhiannon.com

Fall in love with Greek mythology for the first time or all over again.

…READ THEM ALL…
#songofprinces
#riseofprinces
#returnofkings
#homericchronicles

Review

I must admit from the start of this book I loved it. I really liked the idea that the gods walked among us and that they played out there games with humans as their pawns.

This is book one in the series and it focuses on the period preceding the Trojan war. Priam being forced by the gods to kill his new born son Paris in order to save troy..but things do not go to plan..the gods like to play games and someone else has other plans for this baby.

Paris ultimately survives early life in the care of Agelaus..the person instructed to kill the boy. He falls in love with a nymph over a period of time and it’s a very touching story between the two of them with his lover knowing all along they could never be together forever but hoping the fates would be wrong

The next and for me very powerful scene for me is when Paris is forced to pick which goddess is thinks is the most beautiful of all.. of course things don’t go the way he would like and in the end his prize for choosing is the love of the most beautiful woman in the world..who is not yet born.. Helen..

We also learn of Achilles and his birth also to a nymph and there’s a great scene where Thetis his mother plans to change the fate of her son who is to die young on the battlefield with his name living on or living to an old age with nothing of worth ever happening in his life, dying an unknown. She goes about trying to gain her son the power of the gods..things never go to plan though do they

From here Paris grows up, strong, fast and the more he grows the more he looks like his brother Hektor. Soon enough things unravel and Paris is welcomed back into the royal family

What I really enjoyed about this book is that it’s took the political aspect of the tale away, stripped in down and really made use of the myths surrounding the gods and made this more into an unwanted love story.. Paris is destined by the gods to fall in love with Helen and I just loved this approach to the tale

Paris is sent away on a mission on behalf of Priam and meet Helen and things will never be the same again

Cassandra had a very moving portrayal for me..actually being abused by a god who then cruelly leaves her with visions of the future but also curses her that no one will ever believe her.. she knows Troy will fall but there is nothing she can do about it

For me what really shines with the tale is ultimately the Greek mythology and how the author portrays the gods.You really fear the games they might play.. I won’t spoil it for you as a reader but It was a fascinating way to tell the tale and the fact the author left the tale where she did has definitely left me wanting to get the next book in the series to see how she continues the tale. I can’t wait to see if some of the gods actually walk  the battlefield..

A real refreshing take and well written adult tale that I really did enjoy. I need to read more..

If you’re looking for a different take on the story of Troy or like the idea of a tale where gods can walk among us then take a look at this!

There’s so much more to come!

I must thank Janell and Nicole for the chance to read/review the book!

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

A Song of War – A Novel of Troy – Review

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Title – A Song of War
Author – Kate Quinn, Christian Cameron, Libbie Hawker, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Russell Whitfield, Stephanie Thornton, S.J.A. Turney, Glyn Iliffe (Foreword)
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length –   444 Pages
Publication – 18th October 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Troy: city of gold, gatekeeper of the east, haven of the god-born and the lucky, a city destined to last a thousand years. But the Fates have other plans—the Fates, and a woman named Helen. In the shadow of Troy’s gates, all must be reborn in the greatest war of the ancient world: slaves and queens, heroes and cowards, seers and kings . . . and these are their stories.

A young princess and an embittered prince join forces to prevent a fatal elopement.

A tormented seeress challenges the gods themselves to save her city from the impending disaster.

A tragedy-haunted king battles private demons and envious rivals as the siege grinds on.

A captured slave girl seizes the reins of her future as two mighty heroes meet in an epic duel.

A grizzled archer and a desperate Amazon risk their lives to avenge their dead.

A trickster conceives the greatest trick of all.

A goddess’ son battles to save the spirit of Troy even as the walls are breached in fire and blood.

Seven authors bring to life the epic tale of the Trojan War: its heroes, its villains, its survivors, its dead. Who will lie forgotten in the embers, and who will rise to shape the bloody dawn of a new age?

Review

After reading A Year of Ravens I just knew there would be more to come from those talented authors and I couldn’t be happier that this book would focus around Troy.

Truth be told I know the story..ish and also what Hollywood has told so was very eager to get to grips with this one

First of I must commend the authors on this one. You can clearly tell after working on previous projects that they work together well. It was surprising how easily each of the individual sections of the story fitted together so well. Kate Quinn has clearly worked her magic at the editing stage along with the other authors to make this work as well as  it does.

There are 7 individual sections to the novel each told by one of the authors and each focusing on different characters. This unique way of storytelling had me gripped and had the strange effect on me that my opinion of characters changed throughout the book as the authors would explore the motivations of such characters as Agamemnon who i came to see in a completely different light

From my limited knowledge of the characters I always felt the tale of Paris and Helen was a love story.. how wrong was i..i loved having my eyes opened to how political things would have been at the time and that not every marriage would come about because of love

This tale is so much more than I ever imagined.. there are so many people involved in the downfall of Troy I just didn’t know about. Andromache and Cassandra were two I really enjoyed reading about

A couple bits of the story stood out for me, firstly the duel between Hector and Achilles. The chariot sequence was so brilliantly written that I couldn’t help being excited reading it. The second thing that really stood out was Achilles.. his downfall.. you really get to see him fall apart as the war continues

Looking back at my notes on this book the first thing a highlighted was a character named Hellenus.. how I loved him and how well he developed throughout the tale. Hellenus appears in more than one section of the tale but it was great to see even when another author took control it still felt like the same person when Hellenus could have easily lost his charm if another author portrayed him differently

The other two characters I just have to mention are Philoctetes and Odysseus, I really felt that were portrayed perfectly

You might have guessed but overall the character development in this book is amazing, I think this is because the authors each took their own section of the story and characters within it to tell the tale. This gave them the time to really help the reader get to know the character and they did it so well you weren’t overwhelmed with information

I can’t recommend books like this enough, it gives you not only a great story but also insight into authors you might never have heard of. While reading the author notes I was surprised to find out Libbie Hawker wasn’t as familiar with the history as the other authors, I must say she did a brilliant job!

This was once again a wonderfully written and edited book by a selection of very talented and versatile authors. Each has a real talent for hooking the reader. If like me you’re looking to learn more but don’t fancy tackling The Iliad & The Odyssey first then this is the book for you.. you’ll love it and you’ll be left with a thirst for more.

The book is out today!!!! To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Blood of the Wolf by Steven A. McKay – Review

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Title – Blood of the Wolf
Author – Steven A. McKay
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length –  386 Pages
Publication – 14th October 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

ROBIN HOOD RETURNS!
And this time the legendary wolf’s head is working for the sheriff…

After winning his freedom in Rise of the Wolf, Robin – with his faithful lieutenant John Little at his side – now spends his days travelling around northern England dispensing King Edward II’s justice.
When a new band of outlaws appears in Barnsdale, Sheriff Henry de Faucumberg sends Robin and John to deal with them. Before the lawmen can track them down though, Will Scaflock is attacked and another of their old companions murdered in his own home by the outlaws whose leader seems to have only one thing on his mind:
Bloody vengeance!

Will Robin’s reunited gang be enough to defeat this savage new threat that seeks to wipe them out one by one? Or will another old foe provide the final twist that sees England’s greatest longbowman dead and buried?

This stunning conclusion to the bestselling Forest Lord series will delight and entertain readers looking for action packed historical fiction in the mould of Scarrow, Kane and Cornwell!

Review

Robin is back! And this is the best yet. Dark, gritty and downright engrossing.

After the last book I had no idea what would be coming next but not in a million years did I imagine him working for the sheriff, and that he has grown to like/respect the man.. neither did I expect to feel the same way!

Characters are turned on their head at the beginning of the tale, Robin isn’t the man he was..he’s changed and we gradually learn why..Robin can’t help everyone and some people will always take advantage. It was an interesting twist to Robin to see him grow and understand this after his time as a wolf’s head.

Quickly this new Robin makes a few enemies and old faces come back to haunt him. I won’t give the game away but these new outlaws have a brutal and familiar leader..and I hated him so so much…McKay’s storytelling is very emotive..it was so easy to form my opinions of the characters.. so much so I could have been right next to Robin in the action I was that taken in by the tale

Robin has to bring his old gang back together one last time to stop these outlaws but a lot has changed over the years. They are older..some settled. Will they all make it out alive? Well let’s just say it’s not McKay’s style to have everyone survive is it..but even I was shocked at the brutality of this tale.. it’s the darkest of the series so far and brought something extra to the tale. With the other books in the series I always felt Robin would win.. this one I just wasn’t sure he had it in him..this feeling kept me reading until the early hours as I had to find out if he could make it out of this one.

Growth is the word I’d pick to describe this book, I honestly feel not only did Robin grow but so has the author.. this is his best yet and this plot left it wide open for the author to really use his imagination.. and boy has he!

This is the dark and gritty Robin I’ve been waiting for all my life since I heard about him as a little boy. It’s the perfect mix of the hero we all know about with added darkness and determination to really make the tale believable

I’m never one to give away an ending but this one was done to perfection..leaving the reader to contemplate events and really look back at the journey our hero has taken

McKay has delivered when I thought the series had come to a natural end and has given us his best tale yet.

My favourite little scene in book was when Robin had been playing with his son and Little John visits. While the men talk Arthur goes quiet and the author hints it’s when kids go quiet you have to be worried not when they are making noise.. as a dad of two I really understand this ha.

McKay’s true talent lies in the development, he makes everything come alive and as a reader you can really get to grips with the tale.. become a part of it.. lose yourself in the moment.

Top notch!

My thanks go to the author for the review copy and i’m very pleased to say i got my pre-ordered copy delivered to my tablet first this this morning 🙂

The book is out today! to find found more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com