Tag Archives: Fantasy

Leading Ladies Fantasy Bundle – Giveaway!

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Ok, as you should know I’m a big fan of fantasy books. The endless possibilities just fascinate me.

StoryBundle is a site I’ve highlighted before, it offers a great price for a bundle of books in one go and you get to decide where the money goes.. the authors or StoryBundle and you decide the %. It’s just an interesting idea and I’ve bought a couple bundles myself this year. I’ll certainly not run out of books anytime soon :).

I also like being introduced to authors i might not have discovered and this is the big plus for me. For a good price you can have your eyes opened and find some books that really stay with you.

Well today I’m here to offer you a chance to owe the latest bundle on offer for FREE!

The leading ladies fantasy bundle has a lot to offer, click the picture below to head to StoryBundle where you can read more and view each book in more detail. For around £12 you could own all of these books!

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Why i’m i highlighting this bundle you might ask. Well one of my favourite authours is included , Charlotte E. English, who really has helped me to see how good fantasy can really be. You can find out more about why i love Charlotte’s work here.

So what do i want you to do to have a chance to own this series of books for free? Simple. Comment below and tell me you want to win the bundle. Tell me if you’ve read any of the authors work before.. let me know what you think of the covers or even StoryBundle itself..anything, i just want to see your comments :).

Make sure to tick “Notify me of new comments via email” so if you’re not on WordPress and you win you’ll be sure to get the notification 🙂

You can even share this post on social media, it all counts. Anyone who i know has shared or commented will be put in the hat and i’ll pick a winner 6pm 8th December. It’s as simple as that.

The bundle is only available for another 14 days after that the chance to buy is gone. Grab it while you can.

 

Secrets In Blood (Lake of Sins #2) by L.S. O’Dea (@LSODea) – Review

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Title – Secrets In Blood (Lake of Sins #2)
Author – L.S. O’Dea
Genre – Dark Fantasy
Publication – April 2015
Pages – 498 Pages – Print Length
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Trinity’s plans have gone horribly wrong and she is now fleeing for her life, but at what cost to her friends and family. Can she save any of them without sacrificing herself?

Hugh Truent, an Almighty, learns of Trinity’s escape and that she is the offspring of two different classes which is supposed to be impossible. If it’s true, it would be the discovery of a lifetime, but he needs scientific proof. In his quest for answers, he soon realizes that there are those who will kill to keep this find a secret.

Trinity’s struggle to survive in a society based on absolute segregation of the different classes along with Hugh’s dogged determination to find the truth at any cost, sets into motion a collision between the groups that shatters the foundation of their world

Review

This is the second book in the Lake of Sins series and it built greatly on the groundwork laid in “Escape” the previous book.

Trinity’s quest to find out what happens to the producers once they are removed from camp continues and she’s put in even more danger as more people become interested in her.

She’s being hunted now as her parentage has come into question and the idea of interclass mating is explored.

This is gruesome fantasy writing..There’s a social structure to this world the author has created and those at the top take advantage of those they see as beneath them. But there’s a very gruesome and disturbing secret that some of the upper class called Almighties don’t even know about.

For me what I really found interesting is how similar the underlying topics are to real day issues. The social structure with those in power controlling everything, racism against those different to themselves but as we find out.. just like in modern society.. Perhaps the differences are only skin deep.. Below the surface everyone is more similar than they would like to admit.

I have to say I liked this one a lot, it really did get better as it went along but with such a defined social structure I felt the pace was a little fast.. there’s a lot to take in and you really need to give this one the time it deserves. With so many different classes and characters I was left wanting.. not in a bad way.. just as soon as you feel you’re getting to know one of the social classes you switch to another and the whole idea was that interesting I really wasn’t ready to move on.

Another positive for this book is that I think the author has a very easy reading style of writing. No stupidly big words to slow you down, you just get faced paced gruesome fantasy.

Something I talk about a lot in my reviews is did the book hook me in..this one did just that but it keeps you hanging on.. it pulls you in with its intriguing plot then throws you back out to digest for a while and just when you think your safe another bit of gruesomeness is thrown in to reel you back in.

Overall I enjoyed it a lot. There’s more to come in this series so I’m looking forward to see what direction it takes.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

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

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

Xan & Ink by Zak Zyz – Review

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Title – Xan and Ink
Author – Zak Zyz
Genre –  Dark Fantasy
Length –  274 Pages
Publication – October 2016
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Two disgraced brothers, a fanatical priest and an escaped slave venture into the foreboding Kalparcimex, an uncharted jungle teeming with an incredible variety of wondrous and murderous insects. When the legendary ranger Xan refuses to help the adventurers on their quest for redemption, they enter into an ill-advised pact with Ink, a cursed sorceress who stains everything she touches. Caught in the conflict between the two powerful figures, the four banished heroes must confront their darkest desires to escape the Kalparcimex!

Review

This was a rather interesting read. Each character is very unique with their motivations, brought together for the same cause. Can they trust each other? Will their differing viewpoints cause issues?

The story starts with the four main characters being sent out to save a kingdom that is under siege from the weird and wonderful animals of the Kalparcimex.

We are thrust into the dark world quickly as a number of people die very quickly indeed which sets the tone of the book nicely.

Xan foretold the Kalparcimex would expand many years ago and after a short debate our would be heroes set out to find him to see what can be done to stop these animals spreading any further.   Xan is brilliant.. the first meeting with him told you everything you need to know about him.. he’s sure of himself.. knows he was right.. and acts like a bit of an arse because of this. The would be heroes quickly learn he’s not going to help them.

From here we meet Ink.. I’m not going to spoil anything about how the group come together but Ink has a way with people..she can easily control them..and she’s powerful. Since Xan won’t help our heroes Ink decides she will.. although you know her motivations aren’t going to be as honest as she makes them appear.

From here the group head into the Kalparcimex to hunt down an animal which can rid their kingdom of the tinks which are attacking their people and livestock.. The Kalparcimex is a strange and very complex place. This is Xan’s home.. he knows the place better than anyone. What takes place next is a cat and mouse game and Xan does everything he can to stop them.

This is where the book takes a very sharp twist.. it’s no longer a fantasy tale where heroes search and find what they need to save their kingdom. They are divided.. hurt.. changed..It’s all very dark and very very unique

The group consists of Sandros and his brother Gregary. Gregary is a solider..big and strong.. Sandros on the other hand isn’t.. but he has power.. he can control fire. We also have Brakkar the priest and Osolin the former slave.

What happens in the Kalparcimex is so completely out of the box.. like nothing I’ve read before.. not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what was to come. This is what made the book stand out..dark and creepy and so unexpected

Each character has their own journey at this point but it really did feel like Ink stole the show at this stage as she manages to entice a few of the characters into some very graphic sexual experiences.. up until this point I would have said the book was suitable for all but that very much changed.. I’m no prude but even I looked around while I was on the bus to make sure no one was reading over my shoulder ha

Again I don’t want to give the plot away but my favourite thing was the journey Brakkar goes through… he changes.. it takes a lot of imagination to come up with a plot like this. So many twists and competing stories but it worked and everything felt right..

For me the only thing that was hard to imagine was the monsters of the Kalparcimex, near the beginning of the book we are introduced to one of the animals when it attacks but at that point you know nothing about it so it was a little hard to imagine the action as it happened.. it didn’t spoil anything for me but it would have flowed better for me if the dangers had been discussed between the characters before they appeared so I could follow things a bit easier.

The ending while pretty good did come abruptly.. but I feel this was due to the authors very unique way of storytelling. The end is nothing like what I expected and did leave me wondering if another book is planned of if the author is planning to leave the future in the readers hands..

Unique is a word I’ve used a few times in this review and that’s how’d id sum the tale up. Thoroughly enjoyed the tale and was left with the wow felling afterwards as it’s so clearly different from anything else I’ve read

If you enjoy dark fantasy and like the idea of a quest being turned on its head then this is the book for you. A dark, weird and wonderful world awaits you..

I do hope the author goes back to this world.. There’s so many possibilities

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

My thanks go to the author and Margot at Gut Punch Press for the chance to read/review the book

The author has very kindly given me a few facts about himself that as a reader you’ll never know.. take a look

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Zak Zyz has worked as a welder, electrician, roofer, and cryptologic linguist, and is currently a sinister systems administrator in DUMBO, Brooklyn. He hosts The Surreal Symphony, a late-night call in show, and Strategically Correct, a Brooklyn board gaming society. Zak has been published on Tor.com and appeared on Hour of the Wolf. His first novella, SURVIVAL MODE, was published in 2015. Xan and Ink is his first novel.

 

More about the author –

1: Zak has hitchhiked cross-country and visited all 48 contiguous states. He has many stories about weird, dangerous and wonderful encounters he had while thumbing across America. He has also backpacked extensively in Europe and Central America.

 

2: Zak is an abstract expressionist painter and produces a lot of weird-looking art. He is a finalist for the Macktez summer stipend, and was recently featured in a forthcoming documentary about NYC artists by HAZEfilm. He sells space-themed handmade art and jewelry as Jupiter’s Forge. His methodology and art are bizarre and compelling.

 

3: Zak has been involved in numerous pirate radio stations and has been broadcasting for 20 years in a number of formats. In his time as a clandestine broadcaster he has been raided by the FCC, attacked by disgruntled DJs, and banned from a station for life by an angry anarchist tribunal. He continues to broadcast every tuesday night on KPISS, a tiny station in Bushwick that broadcasts out of a shipping container.

 

  1. Zak worked as a hotel manager in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina and defied the mandatory evacuation order to help defend The Olivier House Hotel against looters. He survived during the state of anarchy that followed and has many anecdotes about canoeing down Canal street, fighting off looters, delivering food to refugees and ultimately escaping New Orleans.

 

  1. Zak is an avid board gamer with an enormous collection of modern board games. Strategically Correct, his board game society is an invite-only gladiatorial rendezvous for some of the most combative minds in New York. STRAC’s members include former World Boardgaming Championship champions for Agricola, Race for the Galaxy, and Diplomacy. You can only join by defeating a champion at their own game. Zak is always up to date on the latest new releases, industry news, and trends in traditional board gaming.

 

Bloodwalker by L.X. Cain – Review

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Title – Bloodwalker
Author – L.X. Cain
Genre –  Dark Fantasy
Length –  284 Pages
Publication – 4th October 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Lightning flashes. Another child disappears…

Zorka Circus’s big top roars with laughter and cheers, but when it moves on, children vanish.

Circus Security Chief Rurik suspects a killer hides among the performers, but they close ranks—they’ve always viewed lightning-scarred Rurik as the monster. He must find the culprit before anyone else disappears and his home is destroyed by the murders.

Into Zorka Circus comes the Skomori clan, despised as gravedigging ghouls. A one-day truce allows bloodwalker Sylvie to marry. Instead, she finds a body. Alerting others will defy her clan’s strict code, break the truce, and leave her an outcast.

When more bodies turn up, the killer’s trail becomes impossible to ignore. Rurik and Sylvie must follow the clues—even if they lead to something unimaginable…

Review

I can honestly say this one surprised me… the synopsis only scratches the surface of the tale and the twists that played out definitely had the shock factor

Two stories collide in this tale. The first being Sylvie, she’s a bloodwalker..although not a very good one. By some bloodwalkers would be classed as special but others look down on them. They help deal with death and I just loved how each chapter started with a quote from the bloodwalker handbook.

Rurik on the otherhand is a security guard working for the circus. When we are introduced to him you quickly learn he’s not an average man. He manages to put together the pieces to learn someone involved with the circus has been kidnapping children and he sets out to put a stop to this

Sylvie and Rurik meet when Sylvie and two other bloodwalkers are due to be married. The wedding takes place at the circus as one of the clans elders is married to the owner

From here things start going wrong fast..

Sylvie makes a ghastly discovery but has no time to tell anyone..Rurik is so driven he sees guilt everywhere and can’t risk confiding in anyone so goes it alone at first to find out who is committing the kidnapping

The author takes their time to reveal the truth of the tale..adding twist after twist to throw you off the truth. The plot was superb.. I couldn’t fault it..

These twists and turns meant there was a great chance to develop the characters which I really felt the author did well. Development is probably the most important thing for me.. I want to feel like I know the character and  I definitely felt like I knew what motivated the main players in this tale

This is dark fantasy at its best for me, right up until the end I had no idea how the tale would play out which kept me hooked in page after page.

Major plus point for this tale has to be the very unique plot. I won’t spoil it but this author has a brilliant imagination..i can’t even put into words how unusual and fascinating the tale is.

Overall a cracking dark and gruesome tale that held a lot of surprises. I don’t think I’ll forget this book in a hurry. 100% would read again

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

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

Other links –

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodwalker-lx-cain/1123844780?ean=2940153034508
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/bloodwalker
iTunes: https://fnd.io/#/us/book/1116824924-bloodwalker-by-lx-cain
BAM: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Bloodwalker/L-X-Cain/9781939844255?id=6649549825050
Powell’s Books: http://www.powells.com/book/bloodwalker-9781939844255/62-0
Dancing Lemur Press: http://www.dancinglemurpressllc.com/mysteryparanormalhorror

Sovereign’s Wake by Lee LaCroix – Review

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Title –  Sovereign’s Wake
Author – Lee LaCroix
Genre – Fantasy
Length –    348 Pages
Publication – Nov 2015
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

A kingdom crumbles without its ruler. The people fall to misery and desperation in the shadow of an empty throne. A father does what he must to save his son and his homeland in the absence of kings. Enter Garreth, ranger and former royal bodyguard, who embarks from his woodland home after defending it from the encroaching loggers of the Blackwoods Company. “The King is dead!” they had screamed at Garreth and drove the man to the capital of Amatharsus to resolve the most troubling statement in Malquia’s recent history. Together with his son, Novas, and daughter of a murdered blacksmith, Kayten, Garreth is hounded by bandits, cutthroats, and highwaymen, unleashed upon the countryside by the abolition of the Crown Aegis, defenders of the King, his land, and his people. Garreth unites with the remnants of the Crown Aegis to overcome the military, political, and economic oppression that the Blackwoods Company has imposed on Amatharsus and incites rebellion before the free people of Malquia succumb to crippling recession and the environmental destruction of their verdant nation. But can one man find the strength to challenge overwhelming odds when all hope is lost?

Sovereign’s Wake is the first installment of the debut Fantasy series, In the Absence of Kings, by author Lee LaCroix.

Review

The book starts at a slow pace as we learn about two of the main characters, Nova and his father Garreth. I felt this part of the book was so well written..so descriptive… it felt effortless to read and enjoy

The pace soon picks up and you are thrust into this new world along with Nova who has never set foot outside the woodland

Now this is a fantasy book I could really get to grips with.. After the King dies tyranny is commonplace.. the little man Is down trodden but why does the Queen let this happen?

Garreth is loyal to the King and was tasked to watch over some woodland..to preserve it.. when the Blackwoods encroach on this land Garreth learns the fate of his King and sets out to find out why the Queen would allow such a precious area to the King to be torn down..

We soon learn there’s a lot more going on.. people are being robbed & murdered.. the Blackwoods are behind this.. They are leaving nothing in their wake

Along the way we meet Kayten, strong willed.. she has passion in her blood and joins Garreth and Nova after the death of her father. Together they head to the city to get answers

These answers come pretty quick.. and I won’t spoil anything for you.. the action is thick and fast..no rest given.

Garreth finds himself a rebel and must bring the people together to fight for their survival.

The tale had a Robin Hood type of feel to it which I really loved.

As I’ve said the book picks up pace quite a bit which didn’t leave much time for the connections between the characters to grow as naturally as I would have liked to see but with such a fast paced plot you can see why the author went down this route and it certainly didn’t take anything away from the story

Overall I loved the plot and the characters, everything developed nicely albeit quickly at times but this just added to the urgency of the mission the rebels have undertaken.

For me the best thing really was the writing.. I knew within the first chapter I would enjoy the story

I’ve high hopes for the next book in the series.. look out for a review soon 🙂

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

Author Spotlight – Charlotte E. English

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Every so often when i’m reading a book i think back to other books i’ve read.. the events of that previous book overshadowing my current reading..

This is when i know I’ve found an author i really enjoy.

Today i’d like to highlight the brilliant work  by Charlotte E. English who has to be one of the nicest authors i’ve reviewed since i started my blog.

I’d actually owed some of Charlotte’s work before starting the blog and for me it was a big buzz to have her notice my little corner of the web. I do what i do out of the sheer love of reading but to know your comments are appreciated makes everything so worthwhile.

Why do a spotlight you may ask? Simple.. There’s just not enough time in the day to read every book i want to.. and i want the author to see i support them and love their work even if i can’t read their book straightaway

Charlotte is a brilliant fantasy writer and her books have always been a pleasure to read. In all honesty her work has to be some of the best fantasy i’ve read and as my favorite genre i have high expectations. What i really enjoy about her books is how easily she sets the scene andsucks you into her world. She always leaves me with the fuzzy feeling in my brain as i imagine the world she creates and needless to say i’m always left wanting to read more of her work.

The Malykant Mysteries is a series of 4 short stories and it amazed me how much Charlotte managed to fit in such a short space of time.. a rich and detailed story that i just couldn’t help but love. You can see my review here – The Malykant Mysteries Review If you are looking for a short read then i can’t recommend this enough.

I also really enjoyed the Draykon series.. here’s the blurb for book one!

When shy and retiring Llandry Sanfaer discovers a mesmerising new gemstone, she suddenly becomes the most famous jeweller across the Seven Realms. Demand for the coveted stone escalates fast; when people begin dying for it, Llandry finds that she herself has become a target.

Lady Evastany Glostrum has her life in pristine order. Prestigious, powerful and wealthy, she is on the verge of crowning her successes with the perfect marriage. But when her closest friend is murdered for the jewellery she wears, Eva is drawn into the mystery surrounding the curious “istore” gem.

The emergence of the stone is causing chaos across the Seven. Gates between the worlds are opening at will, pulling hordes of creatures through from the shadowy Lower Realm and the glittering Uppers. As Eva works to discover the culprit behind the spreading disorder, Llandry must learn the truth about her precious istore stone — before she herself becomes a victim.

Draykon is currently free to buy here – Amazon.co.uk – Amazon.com

I highly recommend you check it out and if you like it as much as me i recommend you buy the complete box set of three books as it will save you a little money in the long run 🙂

If you are looking for a new book take my advice and have a look at Charlotte’s work.. you’ll not be disappointed

Have a good weekend everyone 🙂

Guest Blog – JJ Sherwood – Character Interview – Kings or Pawns Blog Tour

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Today i bring to you something a little different..a first for my blog. I’ve opened my blog to the awesome JJ. Sherwood to host a interview with a couple of the characters from her book Kings or Pawns, if you’ve not read my review yet click here 🙂

Without further delay…here we go

Hey Soplings! Today we have a special interview where I sat down with Itirel and Sellemar to ask them some pressing questions that you, as fans, have been nagging me about. Well, I don’t have the answers, but these two do!

JJ Sherwood: Welcome Itirel, Sellemar. It’s a pleasure to have you two back for an interview—and together, no less! What a treat!

Itirel: Why thank you for the opportunity, JJ.

Sellemar: Thank you.

JJ: Let’s start with you, Sellemar. People often wonder about your identity and by association, Itirel’s. In Kings or Pawns, Alvena romanticizes that you look like the statue of the legendary king, Ephraim. How do you feel about this? And, if you were Ephraim, who then would be Itirel?

Sellemar: I assume by feel you mean think. I think it is a silly notion fantasized by a child. But on that note, who would not wish to be Ephraim? He was respected and unparalleled in talent. And wealthy: as opposed to myself. Who currently lives in a rundown flea mine.

Itirel: *chuckles*

Sellemar: *glares at Itirel* As for Itirel, he would be my servant. Because if I was Ephraim I would be a king and as such, I would certainly need servants. He could be… a cleric in service of Sel’ari and his job would be to pray and heal me during battle. And cook, because as a king you must overwork your servants or they will find time to invent notions for gossip. As Alvena clearly has.

JJ: Well, I can’t say I’d be eager to serve you if you were king. But, speaking of kings, let’s touch on the True Bloods. We know Sellemar has a uniquely close relationship with their royal family, in particular King Sairel—how about you, Itirel? What is your relationship with the True Bloods?

Itirel: I consider myself to be very fortunate to be able to call the True Blood royals my allies. Their friendship and generosity has been a boon in these difficult times—both for myself and those I seek to aid.

JJ: That’s very interesting. How did you two meet? Was it through the True Bloods?

*Same time* Sellemar: Yes.

*Same time* Itirel: No. *Itirel looks reproachfully at Sellemar* I will answer this question on Sellemar’s behalf because it seems he is determined to take the easy way out of answering. In fact, the story took place as follows: near Sellemar’s place of birth, there is a glade through which a small river flows. In the heat of one summer, Sellemar’s father bathed in this spring, unaware of a northern human settlement which had taken to dumping the bodies of their plagued into this same river. He became gravely ill and healer after healer was called upon to save him—but they too succumbed to the illness. At this time, Ilra saw fit that I should pass through this city and, upon hearing of the people’s misfortune, there I remained until the plague was no more. As I spent time with Sellemar’s father, I too became acquainted with Sellemar himself. When I was preparing to depart for a dangerous mission, Sellemar asked to accompany me as payment for his father’s health. And we have had many adventures since.

JJ: Oh, what a fantastic story! Sellemar, you would have robbed us of that?

Sellemar: *Shrugs*

JJ: *Sighs* Ok, let’s move on—Itirel mentioned Ilra as the god whom he serves. Sellemar, you, as we all know, serve Sel’ari. Are you a cleric of her order then, as is suggested in Kings or Pawns?

Sellemar: *Irritably* One need not be a cleric to be religious.

JJ: Well… it’s just that there are other signs… you know…

Sellemar: …What other signs?
JJ: Well… I mean… I’m mostly thinking about women.

Sellemar: Women?

JJ: Yes. Well, you… seem a bit oblivious to their existence. In Heroes or Thieves, you hardly seem aware of Ilsevel’s advances. So I was just wondering if you had taken a vow of celibacy…

Sellemar: *Flushes* No. I—I do not—have not. I just simply am above the seductive wiles of lonely females.

Itirel: …

Sellemar: What?

Itirel: Nothing. I was only thinking that this was the time to take the easy way out of answering.

JJ: Er, this is where we should take an intermission—*cough*before Sellemar walks out on me*cough*! But we’ll continue with Part II of their interview on August 26th at http://www.stepsofpower.com/news.php?s=both! 

Kings or Pawns by J.J. Sherwood – Review

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Title – Kings or Pawns
Author – J.J. Sherwood
Genre – Fantasy
Length –   385 Pages
Publication – Oct 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The first book in JJ Sherwood’s Steps of Power epic fantasy series. The Kings, Book I: Kings or Pawns is a political intrigue that spirals into an action and adventure series as the final events unfold.

8,994 P.E.—The elven city of Elvorium has become corrupted to the core by politics. With his father dead and the Royal Schism at his back, Prince Hairem ascends the throne as king of the elven world on Sevrigel. Young and bold, Hairem is determined to undo the council’s power, but the brutal murders by an assassin loosed within the city threaten to undermine the king’s ambitions.

As corruption and death threaten to tear Elvorium apart from within, the warlord Saebellus threatens the city from without, laying siege to Sevrigel’s eastern capital. With the elven world crumbling around him, Hairem finds himself in a dangerous political balance between peace and all out war.

Review

I must admit I’ve had this book on my TBR list for a while but I’m so glad I’ve finally had the time to read it. I’ve read a lot of fantasy books but not so many with the epic edge that make you believe a series had longevity.. this one does

The first part of the story was pure build-up. Full of descriptiveness to help you envisage the world the author has created along with the main characters within the book. The back story regarding the True Bloods pulled me in.. I hope to hear more of them in the next installment

The second part of the book is pure action with events playing out quickly, it’s one enjoyable ride that you honestly need to really sit down and take your time to enjoy.

Major plus points for this book were the characters and their development.  Jikun and Navon were brilliant, their relationship as General and Captain was strained at times but you can see underneath it all they need each other. Navon’s skill/power was one of the most interesting developments in the tale

Hairem the King attended to by Alvena the mute girl (who was my favourite) gave something extra to the tale, her inner thoughts made her the most interesting character as she was always so blunt and honest to herself. I love how Hairem would communicate with her

Itirel was another character I really liked.. I wanted more of him if I’m honest..his part was over too quickly for me.I just loved his wit

I could go on forever.. Honestly I don’t think I’ve read something with some many characters I’ve actually enjoyed

So you want to know a bit more about the plot. Well the world is dark..there’s war coming and it’s Hairem’s duty to make sure his kingdom doesn’t fall with the help of his General Jikun..flawed he may be but he’s good at his job.

Another threat to the King comes in the form of his own council as he soon learns he’s not really the most powerful person as you’d expect.. Corruption is common place.. who can he trust?

There’s a lot to this book. Lots of individual stories playing out at the same time nicely knitted together by the author to create a complex world but one that is very easy to read a get lost in. The beauty of this book is in the detail.

The epic twist thrown in also caught me off guard; I had an inkling but still had the hand over mouth response when things finally played out.

Overall an interesting plot with even better characters made this one hell of a read! I couldn’t fault this book and I’ve been left wanting.. I need to know what happens next.

A definite must for anyone who enjoys fantasy. Top notch.

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

You can also read more reviews and find out more about the series here – 

Why not enter the Kings or Pawns giveaway? you can do so here – https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2dc334f02/ 

The Silver Portal by David J. Normoyle – Review

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Title – The Silver Portal (Weapons of Power, #1)
Author – David J. Normoyle
Genre –  Fantasy/Young Adult
Length –   320 Pages
Publication – 9th august 2016
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

The Lord Protector’s red clerics have become entrenched throughout Mageles, leaving only pockets of resistance. As a desperate last resort, a group of wizards concocted the weapons of power. Their spell misfired and, instead of going to the five chosen warriors, the weapons end up in the hands of an aspiring adventurer, a reluctant warrior, a street rat, a conflicted pacifist, and a pampered noblegirl. Separated by a continent and pursued by magic-wielding clerics, the young weaponbearers must find each other—but first they must find themselves.

An epic coming of age fantasy bursting with magic and adventure, The Silver Portal is the first book in the Weapons of Power series. Set in a richly drawn world with an intricate magic system, The Silver Portal will delight lovers of page-turning sword and sorcery fantasy.

Review

This tale is a nice coming of age fantasy aimed perfectly towards the young adult market.

So this book follows the five chosen warriors.. why they were chosen we don’t truly know.. was it a mistake or is there more to these five than we might think.

Where this book really ticked the boxes for me was with the writing itself. Too many times I see a plot dumbed down too much.. This one didn’t feel like that. While the plot isn’t too complex it was nice to see it just didn’t follow a straight line.. it jumped from one person’s perspective to another and they each have their own tale rather than just one collective group tale.

The five main characters themselves are pretty interesting  with their own individuality and backstory. I really enjoyed the supporting cast too.. the idea of some people possessing magic and others not, the possible conflict this could force is an idea I really like.

I have to admit I didn’t really make too many note on this one, I was too busy enjoying the tale which is fast paced at times but very enjoyable

David J. Normoyle has left a lot of space for this team to grow and I’d be interested to see how this series plays out

Honest opinion, this book is perfectly written for the young adult. Each of the characters is young  and you can see they have some growing up to do and if the series does well its readers will grow up with them

There’s a little violence, nothing too bad or graphic but it will be interesting to see how this changes if the five get the chance to use their weapons of power more.

Good plot, Good characters and plenty of space for the series to grow means it hits the right spot with me

The book is out today..take a look!

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