Tag Archives: Reviews

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

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

zyzauthorphoto

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.