Tag Archives: Fantasy

Omnilogos: Extended Edition by Michele Amitrani – Review

Lake Of Sins: Escape by L. S. O’Dea – Review

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Title – Lake Of Sins: Escape
Author – L. S. O’Dea
Genre – Dark Fantasy
Length – 330 Pages
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Lake of Sins: Escape is Lord of the Rings meets The Island of Dr. Moreau. BEWARE Hobbits!

“A dark, fantasy series with an OMG plot twist that you don’t see coming.” J. Urbanczyk

On earth in the near future, all animals over twenty pounds are extinct and humans are not entirely human.

This new world is segregated by classes and for a Producer—the lowest class whose purpose is to produce all the food for the other classes—making the Harvest List can mean the difference between life and death.

Trinity knows her name won’t be on the Harvest List. They only choose the finest examples of Producers to stay and breed and she is far from a good specimen. She’s a mixed-breed and has hidden her differences—claws, fangs, the ability to see in the dark—all her life.

She needs to discover where they take the teenagers who don’t make the list before they come for her. She’s been trying to figure this out for years and discovered a clue during her last trip into the forest.

With only one week left before she’s taken, she sneaks into the woods again but this time, she uncovers predators long thought to be extinct and creatures who should only exist in legends.

Every turn she takes, someone is hunting her but once she discovers the horrifying fate of her kind, can she return to camp and save the others?

Review

I’ve previously read Rise of the River-Man: Mutter’s Story and was instantly interesting in the world the author had created. The population has been drastically lowered after great death hits the planet and of those that have survived.. They aren’t really human anymore. There’s a hierarchy.. and for producers this isn’t a good thing.. They are the lowest of the low

This tale follows Trinity, she wants to know what happens to producers when they are taken from her camp and after an altercation with some other producers the time to leave is now..

We are whisked away on a fast paced journey where we are introduced to the others classes such as Almighties who sit at the top of the chain, Guards, Handlers and Trackers. It’s not massively complex to get your head around the social structure but there’s a lot to digest at times.

The tale unfolds when she meets some unlikely friends in the forest.. they both have information that the other is after so join together to suit their needs at the time.. your left never quite knowing if this will last or if someone might end up dead

It’s a good story but again there’s a lot going on..3 distinct tales in my opinion and the book moves from one agenda to another but all written well and with a clear plot. The main focus being on Trinity but I was more taken by the story involving the handlers and the trackers..I’ve yet to read the next book in the series but the author has left a lot of questions unanswered..not in a bad way either I must add.. it’s left me wanting more.. that’s never a bad thing in my book

Again this author seems to like to throw in some gruesomeness now and again for the shock factor and the fate of the producers in one such instance..i thought it was brilliant if I’m honest.

The author has made a cruel and intriguing world, if you like your fantasy but want that added gruesomeness then this is the tale for you

It’s unlike anything I’ve read before and I enjoyed it a lot. I’ll definitely read the next book in the series. I need to know what happens next

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

Agent of Equilibrium by N. J. Mercer – Review

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Title – Agent of Equilibrium
Author – N. J. Mercer
Genre – Fantasy
Length – 462 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The gift had always been with him. But only now was he beginning to understand it. Sent by his mysterious benefactors to investigate a series of powerful psychic disruptions, Johnny crosses paths with the deadly Disciples of Disorder and suddenly more than just his life is at stake. It’s the very nature of Earth. Travelling north and confronting beings whose existence he couldn’t even have imagined, he discovers the Equilibrium that preserves all life in its current state, and learns of the terrifying forces that seek to overturn it. This journey will expose Johnny and his loyal companions to the fantastic, the sublime and the depraved. It will ultimately reveal to him the hidden conflict that defines reality itself. AGENT OF EQUILIBRIUM is a work of epic urban fantasy, combining elements of science fiction, horror and the occult. It will take you on a white knuckle ride through darkness and hope. It might even alter your perception of the world you think you know.

Review

I’m a big fan of fantasy I must admit, so this book appealed to me straight away.

Personally I thought the plot of this story was just brilliant. I really enjoyed the idea that there are multiple forces in existence, Order, Disorder and those who wish to maintain the balance, the Equilibrium, add to this a healthy dose of guns and psychic abilities with a great plot and you’ve got a winner for me. I particularly liked the idea this power struggle goes on right underneath the noses of normal humans.

One of the other major things I enjoyed about this book was the characters themselves. As the story flows you learn more and more about them (some not so much.. but I do like a mysterious character or two).

It was a brilliant mix of characters too..We start off with Johnny but as the story progresses he is joined by others which bring their own individual talent to the group, for me this meant each character got a good amount page time.

Mr Kreb for me stood out as one of the main bad guys, silent but deadly. I would love to have got to know more about him and the world for which he came from

The story flowed really well; it built up nicely to the last couple of explosive chapters which left me in no doubt just how good the story is. At over 400 pages I thought it might take me a while to read but I was so engrossed that time went out the window..the sheer enjoyment I had from reading the story kept me reading into the early hours

I couldn’t imagine how the book was going to end until it did and i can’t wait to read more.. I hope the author has plans to revisit this world.. it would be such a shame if they didn’t.

One advantage I find from reading books on my kindle app is it helps me highlight things that stick out to me, things that don’t make sense to me etc. The only note I made was that I’d love to know more about the worlds of Disorder.. I was just enjoying the story so much I never needed to make any other notes

For me this was a fresh, interesting story that totally gripped my imagination and the author has left a great chance to expand on this tale which I sincerely hope they do.

Awesome, 5*

My thanks go to Kate Appleton @ Authoright for the chance to read and review the book

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

They Mostly Come Out At Night by Benedict Patrick – Review

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Title – They Mostly Come Out At Night
Author – Benedict Patrick
Genre – Dark Fantasy
Length – 219 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

He locked himself away from the dark, but in the Magpie King’s forest nowhere is safe…

Lonan is an outcast, accused of letting the monsters that stalk the night into the homes of his fellow villagers. Now, he will not rest until he wins back the heart of his childhood love and reclaims the life that was stolen from him. However, locked safely in his cellar at night, in his dreams Lonan finds himself looking through the eyes of a young prince…

Adahy has a destiny, and it terrifies him. How can he hope to live up to the legend of the Magpie King, to become the supernatural protector of the forest and defender of his people? But when the forest is invaded by an inhuman force, Adahy must rise to this challenge or let the Wolves destroy his people.

Watching these events unfold in his sleep, Lonan must do what he can to protect his village from this new threat. He is the only person who can keep his loved ones from being stolen away after dark, and to do so he will have to earn back their trust or watch the monsters kill everyone that he holds dear.

They Mostly Come Out At Night is a Dark Fantasy novel from Benedict Patrick’s Yarnsworld series. If you like Neil Gaiman and Patrick Rothfuss then you will love this captivating, dangerous world in which ordinary people struggle to find their place in a land ruled by stories.

Start reading today to discover this epic tale of dreams, fables and monsters!

Review

This book was a real surprise for me. I’ve never read anything quite like it.

The main thing I enjoyed about this book was the format, it switches between different viewpoints to keep you interested and inbetween you get little folk tales which fitted perfectly with the story but also broke up the reading making it flow and easy to digest. The way the book was paced was honestly the reason I read it so quickly and enjoyed it so thoroughly

Adahy has to be my favourite character, and the tale that unfolds towards the end surprised me. I knew something was coming but didn’t quite get it before the author gave you the twist in the tale.

I love fantasy and this is no exception, it dark, fast paced, creepy and wild

Another thing that really made it interesting for me was the “knack” the villagers possessed, each individual gaining their own skill to benefit their village. This really came in useful for the story when learning about Lonan and his story.. Although it’s fantasy I felt it was real, you really felt for him

The ending did not disappoint one bit, it gave me just what I was hoping for.. When I put the book down the only thing I could think to say was “Wow”

For me this book ticked everything and the way it was written made it fresh and easy to read. Usually when i read at night I might only read a couple chapters before I get too tired but with this I was so drawn in.. it flowed so well that I just kept going

I won’t spoil the plot for you but this story weaves two people’s lives into one with a very surprising and interesting twist.

Anyone who likes dark fantasy will enjoy this no doubt, any lover of fantasy in general also.. come to think of it anyone who just enjoys a dark tale, like the Brothers Grimm, not every story has a happy ending.

Love it!

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

The book is out tomorrow at 99p! but only until the 22^nd when it will go up in price so I’d grab a copy now if I was you.

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

Returning Eden by Maria Mellins – Review

10 Questions with…..Brian K. Larson

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So since is started to really get into reading a few years ago i’ve become a big fan of Brian’s work. He has fun ideas and his storytelling has always kept me hooked. Today happens to be release day for his latest work Time Squared. Look out for my review in the not to distant future!

Happy release day Brian!

Now, Brain has very kindly answered a few questions. Sit back, enjoy and at the end of it i hope you’ll be tempted to give Brian’s work a try if you haven’t already

Let’s talk about your latest released book. Tell us a short blurb about the book, please?

Time Squared is a book about, well, time travel. Here’s the synopsis:

Jonas Arnell, Tipper Montgomery, and a crew of seven launches from Jupiter Station on the Aevus. They’re sent to investigate a mysterious signal coming from the star Gliese 667.

Nearly destroyed from a surprise attack to prevent the mission, they retire into cryogenic sleep for the nineteen month journey.

When they awaken, their world is turned upside down as they discover the origin of this mystery signal; their own ship. Only the crew and the ship’s skiff are missing.

Landing on the planet, they discover a time chamber where an accident has altered their time-line. Now they must travel through time to stop the paradox from occurring.

Where did your idea for the story come from and how long did it take to write?

This book was originally inspired by the 1960’s TV show, “Time Tunnel” that I watched as a kid. I was enthralled by the idea, or, possibility, that we could travel through time.

Time Squared was one of my easiest books to write with a completed manuscript in two months. I love science fiction and when you toss time travel in, well, it becomes even more awesome.

How did you come up with the title?

Time Squared has several been inspired by many different works. However, one comes to mind is an episode on Star Trek: The Next Generation called Time Squared where Captain Picard discovers his shuttlecraft floating in space. When they bring it onboard, Captain Picard is inside. It’s a wonderful time travel episode. However, the crew in this book finding themselves and the title are the only things you will find familiar. The story does take on its own life and after ready a couple of chapters, you will be hooked.

Do you stick to one genre or do you dabble in others, too?

I mainly write Science Fiction. However, my last 3 book series titled ‘Warlords,’ mixed science fiction and fantasy. I had one review state that he loved the books and I didn’t trip over one genre over the other, it was blended nicely.

What are you currently working on?

Currently, I’m working on volume 2 in the ‘Time’ series titled, ‘Time Fractured.’

Which manuscript did you have the most fun working on?

By far, the manuscript I had the most fun writing was the third book in the ‘Warlords Series’ titled ‘Blood Scroll of Antares.’ The words flowed onto the page, and I had a clear understanding of every aspect of the story. I found my groove on this one for sure.

Let’s talk about you, the author, now. What do you do when you aren’t writing?

If I’m not sitting behind my keyboard writing my next best seller, I tend to binge watch Netflix series. My favorite one is newest ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ followed by ‘Fringe.’ Currently, I’m just starting season 3 of ‘Lost.’

Tell us about your favorite cause.

I support the International Dyslexia Foundation. They help others recognize and deal with Dyslexia.

Are you coffee or tea?

Most definitely a coffee person, but I do like tea as well.

And lastly, what is the one thing you wish people who DON’T write would understand about writing?

Writing is NOT an easy profession. Sure, the story ideas come fairly easy. However, it takes a lot of planning such as world building and creating unique character that reader will love. Lastly, it’s not all about writing. When you’re an independent, or Indi author, my job’s not done when the manuscript is done. Revisions, editing, doing the book layout, as well as all the marketing fall to author. Having some experience in business with project management does help a great deal.

Author Bio:

Brian was born and raised in Seattle in 1959. He grew up in the town of Mount Lake Terrace, a small suburb north of the city. Brian, being the youngest, had two siblings, his eldest brother, Mike and sister, Pam. School was challenging, as Brian suffers with Dyslexia, a learning disability that affects 1 in 15 Americans. That didn’t stop Brian. He was named “bookworm” in school because he always had his nose in a book.

Brian received his MBA in 2010 in Business, now writes for fun, living his lifelong dream of writing science fiction books. He enjoys his off time, with his seventh grade sweetheart, Diana Rose now for going on sixteen years. She has been by his side and continues to supports his writing. Brian says that without her encouragement, his dream would never have become a reality. They now live in Marysville, Washington, and enjoy three wonderful kids and eight grandchildren. They range from newborn to thirteen, and he says they are so special and great to have around.

It is Brian’s hope that through his writing he will fill hearts with joy to readers all over the world, sparking their imaginations.

Links:

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/bklarson

Time Squared link US: https://amzn.com/B01F6A9I2Y

Time Squared link UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01F6A9I2Y/

Personal: www.secretofthecrystal.com

Darkness Descends by Peter Arvo & Lauren Arvo – Review

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Title – Darkness Descends (Elemental Kingdoms #1)
Author – Peter Arvo, Lauren Arvo
Genre – Fantasy/Young Adult
Length – 317 Pages
My Rating – 3/5 Stars

Synopsis

Once there were many kingdoms of myth and legend, but six stood apart from the rest. They may have lost their origins, but they still possessed their elemental abilities of creation as well as destruction. Their rule was about to be threatened by an unseen group, who have waited patiently to make their move.

A group of powerful royal blooded teenagers are about to experience the time of their lives, but also have their lives turned upside-down. They will have to go beyond what they thought possible, stretching their skills, friendship, courage, love, and powers to the breaking point.

Review

I’m going to level with you, I requested to review this book for a couple reason. Firstly I liked the cover and the plot behind the book, who doesn’t love a bit of fantasy where people have powers. The second reason and also the main reason behind me wanting to review the book is I loved the story behind it.. I loved the fact Lauren came up with the idea and with the help of her father Peter has helped it come to fruition. I always love to see parents support their children.

I loved the story, the idea those with royal blood have elemental powers was a nice idea. I particularly liked the idea each kingdom had their own powers and these powers can be used in different ways or even combined.

The plot itself is pretty straight forward, Hawten sets out on his mission to get help for his kingdom and in the process is meets the teenage members of other royal households who join him. It was a fun read, although something like this wouldn’t happen in real life I did think the authors managed to get the rebellious and adventurous sides of teenagers across nicely.

I have to admit my favourite character was Ahmu and I loved he had his own section at the end of the tale where his journal entries were listed

The story is a coming of age tale based on fantasy, these young boys and girls are out to find themselves and learn about their powers as well as help Hawten.

My overall impression of the book is that it is well planned out and very interesting to read, the only two things that could be improved for me were the chapter length and the amount of detail thrown in the story.

Some of the chapters were around 50 – 60 minutes in length and I just felt this was a little too long for a YA book.

The flow of the story was good but at times you had a lot of information thrown at you to describe a place or a person. The information was great at helping you visualise but at the same time it did slow the flow of the story and I think the story would have worked just as well with a little info left out

All in all I really enjoyed the book it was fun to read with lots of potential. I’m very much interested in reading the second book to see how the story progresses

If you’re a fan of YA novels then add this to your TBR pile, I have a good feeling this series will only improve as it goes forward

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

Indomitable by J. B. Garner – Review

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Title – Indomitable (The Push Chronicles Book 1)
Author – J. B. Garner
Genre – Fantasy/Superhero/YA
Length – 154 pages
Publication – Aug 2014
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Irene Roman never wanted to be a hero. She was a scientist living an otherwise normal life and that was enough. One fateful evening, though, Irene discovers a betrayal that undermines everything. One event that, in a literal blink of an eye, changes not only her life, but the future of the entire planet.

Now the world is inhabited by people with powers and abilities far above those of mortal men and women. The repercussions of superhuman battles on the Earth are great and terrible as lives are shattered, communities destroyed, and mankind’s destiny is plucked from its grasp. At the center of it all is Irene, who not only is one of two people on the planet who knows the cause of this unbelievable change, but is one of the few people who may be able to stop it. The only problem is the only other person who does know will do anything in his vast power to keep the world in its terrible altered state.

Who dares to claim the right to choose humanity’s fate? What price will Irene pay to be the hero she never wanted to be? In the end, will Earth return to the safety of the mundane or will it remain in the chaos of the superhuman and supernatural?

Indomitable is the first book in The Push Chronicles and the debut novel of J.B. Garner. The tale of this altered Earth will continue late in 2014 with Indefatigable.

Review

So this is a little out of my normal reading genre but I do like anything involving superheroes. I’m that guy who has liked every superhero movie made.. even the bad ones..i just love the genre in general.

Was I disappointed in the book? Not in the least.

This is a fast paced ride of good vs evil with a healthy dose of reality in the form of Irene.

I would say the writing style is well suited for YA or any adults like myself who enjoy the superhero genre. The style leaves it very easy to read and you don’t have to concentrate too much.. you can just enjoy the tale

The main character develops well, she turned from what came across to me as a little stuck up to showing her caring side fighting to change the world back to the way it was.

My 4* rating is because of two reasons. Mainly the FBI..they believed Irene’s story and agreed to help too quickly in my eyes. I would have like to see the struggle with not only the bad guys in the story but also the non-pushed..see Irene truly alone.

The other reason was her powers..although a good idea (I won’t spoil that for you) I felt the sequence that played out with her power draining became a little repetitive as they seemed to drain very quickly… but then again that’s due to the pace of the story. None of this took any enjoyment away from the tale

If you are looking for a nice easy and enjoyable read this is perfect. For me being a reviewer sometimes I need to change the style of book I read, refresh my eyes with a book that’s not too heavy going. This book was spot on for me in that respect and was more enjoyable then I first imagined

I’ve high hopes for the next book, I hope to see more detailed battles with the superheroes so you can really get to grips with the world J. B. Garner has created

I’ve got another book from the author on my TBR list so I’m looking forward to that and will most certainly read the others in this series further down the line

I thank the author for the chance to read his work.

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

Murder In-Absentia by Assaph Mehr – Review

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Title – Murder In-Absentia
Author – Assaph Mehr
Genre – Fantasy
Length – 306 Pages, Print Length
Publication – Oct 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

A young man is found dead in his bed, with a look of extreme agony on his face and strange tattoos all over his body. His distraught senator father suspects foul play, and knows who to call on.

Enter Felix, a professional investigator. In the business of ferreting out dark information for his clients, Felix is neither a traditional detective nor a traditional magician – but something in between. Drawing on his experience of dealing with the shady elements of society and his aborted education in the magical arts, Felix dons his toga and sets out to discover the young man’s killers.

Murder in absentia is set in a fantasy world. The city of Egretia borrows elements from a thousand years of ancient Roman culture, from the founding of Rome to the late empire, mixed with a judicious amount of magic. This is a story of a cynical, hardboiled detective dealing with anything from daily life to the old forces roaming the world

This is a story of Togas, Daggers and Magic – it will appeal to lovers of urban fantasy, detective murder mysteries and ancient Rome.

Review

I thought this book was brilliant; it’s a murder/mystery book in a pure fantasy world drawing on themes from Roman culture and i have to thank the author for the chance to read/review the story.

I won’t lie.. I wasn’t sure if setting a murder mystery in a more historical time point would work.. but it did.

We follow Felix, he’s a private detective of sorts.. has his hands in a lot of things.. knows a lot of people.

His help has been requested to help find out what happened to a young boy who is found dead in some rather strange circumstances.

One of the best things about the book is that since it’s a fantasy novel the author has been able to had some magic into the mix.. so it’s not a clear cut murder as you might expect.

Throughout the book the author gives great insight into the character for Felix, how he knows what he does and why he’s involved in the business he is. The development of the main character definitely has me interested in future stories.

I won’t give away the plot but it’s well written and planned out. Lots of twists to keep you engaged and interested.

I’m a big fantasy fan and this book but a nice twist on the genre I’m used to reading and it was a very refreshing read that I must certainly want to follow up on.

Any fan of murder mysteries or detective novels should enjoy the historical twist on the usual tales.

Credit to the author, he’s left me with a need.. and he happily fills this need in his notes at the end of the book where he points out some other authors and tales a reader might be interested in reading. I will certainly be looking up these authors and will be adding Assaph Mehr to my “to watch” list.. eagerly awaiting the next Felix story.

Overall I couldn’t fault this book in any way, nothing felt wrong or out of place. The story flowed well and was highly intoxicating.. I was compelled to finish the story.. I had to find out how things played out.
The good news is that it looks like more tales are planned and being set in a fantasy world it leaves the door open to so many possibilities for stories… can’t wait.

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

Rise of the River-Man: Mutter’s Story by L.S. O’Dea – Review

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Title – Rise of the River-Man: Mutter’s Story (Conguise Chronicles #1)
Author – L.S. O’Dea
Genre – Young Adult/Fantasy/Science Fiction
Length – 126 Pages
Publication – Oct 2015
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

In a world where the Almightys rule with absolute power over the other classes, being an unwanted Guard is a death sentence.

A Guard’s life is never easy, but Mutter’s has been particularly hard. An orphan at five, he had to fight for his survival on the streets and then he fought in a ring for an Almighty. Until, he lost. His master didn’t give second chances, so Mutter sits in the Guards’ shelter awaiting execution. His only chance is to be adopted but no one wants a Guard like him: big, strong and ugly.

Then his luck changes when an Almighty arrives at the shelter and gives him a choice: kill or be killed. Mutter chooses to live.

Things are looking up until he’s taken to a laboratory and stuck in a cage but that’s not the worst part. He’s not alone in the lab. There are…things in the other cages. Things that don’t move or smell like anything he’s ever known.

Now, the Almightys are giving him some kind of serum and he feels good, but does he feel too good? Is he changing into something else? Something like the creatures in the other cages? Can he escape before it’s too late?

Review

I was kindly gifted a copy of this book for review and I was presently surprised at the story considering the book is only 100+ pages.

The story was written well with a clear plot which developed at a fast pace. The characters were interesting; I particularly liked Mutter and Ableson. The interaction between these two was fascinating to read.

So the story is based in a time after a great death has hit the planet, lots of people died and those who survived now live under a new social structure.

The language used is perfect for young and old alike with enough detail to develop the characters nicely enough, especially Mutter.

I enjoyed the book, read it one day. It’s a perfect quick read but I have to admit I would have liked to have had more information on this “great death” and why only humans and large humans were affected and how these new social classes were then formed.

I’m not one for spoilers but the main reason for the 4* rating is because of the character Sweet… I’ll try not to give too much away but feel free to skip the next paragraph to avoid any spoilers.

Sweet for me was a great love interest for Mutter but I would have liked to see more development with her. When Mutter starts to change it would have made more sense to me that Sweet would struggle at first with this change.. then love would win out and she would love him no matter what he looked like.

Overall this was a nice book to read, perfect quick read. The book contains a scene which I would class as mild gruesomeness; this gave it some shock factor. The storyline developed quickly and since this appears to be a prequel to the authors Lake of Sins series I’m interested enough to add them to my TBR pile.

I’d definitely say this book is more suited to the younger reader but I’m 30 and I still enjoyed reading it.

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

David's Book Blurg

Book reviews from a guy up north (UK)

Tag Archives: Fantasy

Omnilogos: Extended Edition by Michele Amitrani – Review

Lake Of Sins: Escape by L. S. O’Dea – Review

Agent of Equilibrium by N. J. Mercer – Review

They Mostly Come Out At Night by Benedict Patrick – Review

Returning Eden by Maria Mellins – Review

10 Questions with…..Brian K. Larson

Darkness Descends by Peter Arvo & Lauren Arvo – Review

Indomitable by J. B. Garner – Review

Murder In-Absentia by Assaph Mehr – Review

Rise of the River-Man: Mutter’s Story by L.S. O’Dea – Review