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REVIEW: House of the Dragon – Episode 5 ‘We Light the Way’

House of the Dragon E5 picks up the pace ever so slightly as the sides are made clear for the conflict to come. The cracks in the realm grow larger than ever as King Viserys struggles to hold everything together, his health greatly declining as those around him plan for the succession and look for ways to seize power for themselves. The great players all come together for the celebration of the wedding of Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon and as Game of Thrones fans know, weddings aren’t exactly the safest places to be.

House of the Dragon E5 opens and closes with violence and blood. Daemon handles his beating from last week as well as we all expected and greets his estranged wife in the Vale. An ‘accident’ involving her horse, a large rock, and her skull means the Rogue Prince is free to attend the celebration for his niece Rhaenyra as a single man, his intentions clear as he watches her dance with her soon to be husband. Rhaenyra and Laenor seem happy enough with the arranged marriage. They both agree to marry and then look the other way as they each pursue their own interests: Laenor with his lover Joffrey Lonmouth (unfortunate name), and Rhaenyra with Criston Cole – although the honourable knight feels disgusted at the thought of being the heir’s whore, something that drives him closer to the increasingly scheming Queen Alicent. The Queen even interrupts the king’s speech in front of all his esteemed guests, drawing gasps from the crowd as she enters the room dressed all in green, something that will become very important later on in the series…

The series so far has spent most of its time setting up the stakes, building the characters, and letting its audience know why it should care. Everyone knows what is coming and with each episode the tension has grown as we wait for that wildfire like explosion that sets everything off. House of the Dragon E5 isn’t that episode but we’re as close as we can get. Viserys’ illness worsens, coughing and collapsing throughout the episode. His illness worsens as the tension builds and the realms decides whether to support Rhaenyra as his heir or the young Aegon, Viserys’ and Alicent’s firstborn son. There is a lot of talking in the episode but it all feels purposeful, all leading somewhere. Being inspired, however loosely on historical events, gives the scheming and backstabbing a grounding and realism that makes House of the Dragon the fantasy show of choice for casual viewers. The incoherent nature of the final two series of Game of Thrones feel like a distant memory as House of the Dragon returns to a simple story filled with interesting characters forced to pick a side in a conflict. It’s simple and effective.

Slow but purposeful. House of the Dragon E5 is a dialogue heavy episode bookended by two moments of brutality. The characters are all in place and Westeros is about to burn. One of the greatest conflicts in the history of Westeros is about to kick off and it is going to be spectacular. The reign of King Viserys is almost at an end. Who will take his place upon the Iron Throne?

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REVIEW: House of the Dragon – Episode 4 ‘We Light the Way’

House of the Dragon E5 picks up the pace ever so slightly as the sides are made clear for the conflict to come. The cracks in the realm grow larger than ever as King Viserys struggles to hold everything together, his health greatly declining as those around him plan for the succession and look for ways to seize power for themselves. The great players all come together for the celebration of the wedding of Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon and as Game of Thrones fans know, weddings aren’t exactly the safest places to be.

House of the Dragon E5 opens and closes with violence and blood. Daemon handles his beating from last week as well as we all expected and greets his estranged wife in the Vale. An ‘accident’ involving her horse, a large rock, and her skull means the Rogue Prince is free to attend the celebration for his niece Rhaenyra as a single man, his intentions clear as he watches her dance with her soon to be husband. Rhaenyra and Laenor seem happy enough with the arranged marriage. They both agree to marry and then look the other way as they each pursue their own interests: Laenor with his lover Joffrey Lonmouth (unfortunate name), and Rhaenyra with Criston Cole – although the honourable knight feels disgusted at the thought of being the heir’s whore, something that drives him closer to the increasingly scheming Queen Alicent. The Queen even interrupts the king’s speech in front of all his esteemed guests, drawing gasps from the crowd as she enters the room dressed all in green, something that will become very important later on in the series…

The series so far has spent most of its time setting up the stakes, building the characters, and letting its audience know why it should care. Everyone knows what is coming and with each episode the tension has grown as we wait for that wildfire like explosion that sets everything off. House of the Dragon E5 isn’t that episode but we’re as close as we can get. Viserys’ illness worsens, coughing and collapsing throughout the episode. His illness worsens as the tension builds and the realms decides whether to support Rhaenyra as his heir or the young Aegon, Viserys’ and Alicent’s firstborn son. There is a lot of talking in the episode but it all feels purposeful, all leading somewhere. Being inspired, however loosely on historical events, gives the scheming and backstabbing a grounding and realism that makes House of the Dragon the fantasy show of choice for casual viewers. The incoherent nature of the final two series of Game of Thrones feel like a distant memory as House of the Dragon returns to a simple story filled with interesting characters forced to pick a side in a conflict. It’s simple and effective.

Slow but purposeful. House of the Dragon E5 is a dialogue heavy episode bookended by two moments of brutality. The characters are all in place and Westeros is about to burn. One of the greatest conflicts in the history of Westeros is about to kick off and it is going to be spectacular. The reign of King Viserys is almost at an end. Who will take his place upon the Iron Throne?

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REVIEW: Echoes of Eternity by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

Echoes of Eternity is the penultimate edition in Black Library’s expansive Horus Heresy and Siege of Terra series that dig into the story of Warhammer 40k’s foundational mythos. From Horus Rising to Warhawk this has been an epic story of a great endeavour brought low, of high ideals betrayed and a family in desperate need of counselling. Now Aaron Dembski-Bowden gets his chance to add to the myth before handing off to Dan Abnett for the final instalments.

The key plot arc of Echoes of Eternity sees the angelic Primarch Sanguinius and his heroic Blood Angels defending the approaches to the Eternity gate, the last truly defensible point before the Sanctum Imperialis. Leading the charge to bring them all down is the newly ascended Daemon Primarch Angron and his bestial World Eaters.

Echoes of Eternity’s most important points of view come from these Legions, with Zephon and Amit for the Blood Angels and Kargos for the World Eaters giving the view from the eyes of the combating Space Marines. A more human perspective comes from the crew of a traitor Titan, a captain of the World Eater’s fleet and the ageing techno-archaeologist Arkhan Land and some Blood Angels servants.

This range of viewpoints is necessary to cover the scope of the engagement but compared to other Siege of Terra books Echoes of Eternity is far more tightly tied to the one battle and it feels tighter for it and as the reader you can feel the pressure of a closing noose in that narrowed focus.

The one real departure from this arena in Echoes of Eternity is another confrontation between two other Primarchs, Vulkan and Magnus who had faced off earlier in the series. This conflict is thematically very different, being conducted in the ethereal landscape of the webway and offers a degree of contrast to the more visceral blood and guts in the bulk of the book.

In a series that has added layers of grime to the quintessential grimdark myth, Echoes of Eternity is probably the most grimdark of them all as Dembski-Bowden leans into his well established skill in describing the effects of Chaos in this universe. He merges cosmic and body horror into a series of genuinely distressing pictures of what primordial entropy looks and feels like. The mental image of crew all but sealed into their war machines with their own filth, dessicated comrades animated by something unnatural and outer Gods manifesting out of the sky as numberless hordes swarm over defenders bodies will stay with me for some time.

For long-standing fans of the Warhammer 40k lore, the most anticipated parts of Echoes of Eternity were always going to be the back to back duels Sanguinius fights against the Daemon Prince Ka’Banda, the nemesis of he and his Legion, and then against his former
brother, Angron. Some of us have been waiting for a detailed account of these fights for thirty years.

I’ll be honest and say that I felt a little disappointed, but that’s partly down to building them up too far in my head and also probably because they’re relatively short compared to the length of the whole book. That’s likely necessary, as to be truly effective the story has to show more than just Hero Beats Up Bad Guy in Epic Encounter and give context and meaning to that.

Which leads me to the emotional and thematic core of Echoes of Eternity, the contrast and similarities between Sanguinius and the Blood Angels and Angron and his World Eaters.

The Blood Angels and their Primarch are beautiful, noble warriors, almost to the point of being noblebright, but they are so in spite and in constant conflict with their inner brutality and bloodlust. By contrast, Angron and the World Eaters are ravening bloodthirsty maniacs whose entire fall was ultimately caused by their own sense of honour (and, to be fair the implants known as the Butcher’s Nails.)

So we have angels striving not to be vampires versus mindless berserks that should have been noble warriors. As with everything in 40k, it’s a tragedy but it takes the points of view from the marines such as Amit and Kargos to really push that through in a way that a longer fight between the Primarchs wouldn’t have achieved.

Strangely, one of the most compelling moments in the whole book comes from Arkhan Land, who has often appeared in these stories as a sort of light relief, with his pompous, cowardly manner. Nonetheless, in extremis he finds comradeship and courage and it’s a beautiful, touching moment.

All in all, Echoes of Eternity was everything I expected it to be and more. Dembski-Bowden has a great talent for describing some of the most viscerally horrible and enigmatically otherworldly stuff, and also for making both nailed-on villains and potential Mary Sue heroes both relatable and compelling. Echoes of Eternity shocked me at times, had me whooping with glee at others and will probably take several re-reads to fully process.

Most of all, I’m awaiting the two-part finale, recently announced as being titled The End & the Death with bated breath.

5/5

Read Echoes of Eternity by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

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REVIEW: The Rings of Power – Episode Four

The Rings of Power E4 continues the fantasy series based on the work of Tolkien as Galadriel searches for a way to return to the Southlands with strength to defeat an old foe, Elrond grows suspicious of Durin’s actions, and Arondir meets the strange and unnerving Adar who gives him a warning.

The Rings of Power E4 is a slow one. The series as a whole has been slow and this episode feels like a misstep in the that the series needs to kick into gear at some point. The friendship between Elrond and Durin continues to be charming and wholesome with the discovery of mithril and an accident in the mines adding to the intrigue. But it feels as though at this point the show should be doing more. It’s still beautiful and it’s a joy to be back in Tolkien’s world but the show needs to do a bit more to keep the casual fans watching over the planned five season arc. Arondir releasing arrows in slow motion calls back to fan-favourite Legolas and you can see the potential of the show as the action ramps up towards the end of the episode. Fans of The Lord of the Rings may have the patience to wait for the titular rings to come into play along with Sauron but many casual fans will be used to the political intrigue mixed with the huge, bloody battles of House of the Dragon and they may not wait for long.

Adar is a strange villain in this episode. He seems to be some twisted elf who the orcs obey but this isn’t made clear in the episode. He releases Arondir with a warning to the humans but this in fact leads to a rescue and prevents Adar from retrieving an important item. The move seems careless and made only to ensure that Arondir survives but it lessens Adar in the eyes of the audience in the process. Meanwhile, Galadriel is being as stubborn as ever and offends the Queen Regent enough so that she is thrown into a cell. The impulsive Galadriel has been a bright spark in the show so far but I thought she would show a bit more wisdom than she did this week. Isildur acts rashly and ends up getting himself and his friends booted off the ship they had worked hard to get onto. Thankfully, his actions also lead to a chance to escape Numenor and become a big player in the events of Middle-earth. Whereas in House of the Dragon characters act in a way you would expect as the pieces begin to be set in place, in The Rings of Power E4, the actions of the main cast are sloppy and confusing, but they still end up in their desired position ahead of what will hopefully be a stronger episode next week.

The weakest episode to date. The Rings of Power E4 has moments of magic that display what this series could evolve into, but it will need to do better to keep its huge audience. At a time where fantasy fans are gorging on excellent TV shows like House of the Dragon, The Sandman, and The Witcher, The Rings of Power needs to be more than just a pretty face.

Watch  The Rings of Power on Amazon Prime.

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REVIEW: Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki is a collection of discordant elements: California’s San Gabriel Valley, cursed violins, Faustian bargains, queer alien courtship and fascination for fresh-made donuts. However, instead of Light From Uncommon Stars feeling overly jangly like a tin can full of pennies…this book comes together like a bit of sugar-dusted magic. 

The premise involves three women, Shizuka Satomi, Katrina Nguyen, and Lan Tran. All are women running from something and grasping for something that will, in the most literal sense, save them. 

Shizuka, long ago, made a deal with the devil. To escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six. Enter Katrina, a young transgender runaway who catches Shizuka’s ear with her wild talent; Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She’s found her final candidate.

But where does a donut shop fit into all of this?

“Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn’t have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan’s kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul’s worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline.”

“As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.”

The first thing you notice when reading this story is that humanity is laid bare. The good, the bad, and the deplorable are brought into the light for all to see. Maybe it is because it involves Faustian bargains, or maybe it is due to someone hitting rock bottom. Ultimately, who you are shines through in this story because the music and the devil know what is in your heart. I think that is why one of the main characters is transgender. Aside from the beautiful queer representation, they are being their most authentic self. Who they really are is brought out to the forefront in a very emotional and unflinchingly raw way. 

And I am here for it. 

The book also touches on the importance of the concept of a found family and connections. Who we are born to is not necessarily whom we end up with and our nearest and dearest could be anyone. Sometimes, our family is a bunch of alien space refugees running from a galactic war who run a donut shop and a cursed teacher, you never really know. 

Light from Uncommon Stars is also a sensual experience. Music and food can be luscious and evocative, and can be powerful. Aoki uses them as mute characters. When speaking of music, “What would happen if someone played their existence not only to its inevitable end, but also to its inevitable beginning? What if someone played their music to its inevitable everything?” Or, when talking about bread, “A good bread tastes like home.” 

My only caveat to this lovely story is a point brought up by the amazing reviewer Gautam Bhatia: this story is heavily steeped in American culture. This might make this story difficult to connect to if you are unaware of some of the minutiae of American culture. 

If you have an opportunity to read this book, you should. It is an entertaining, heartwarming experience that speaks to the heart of what makes us both human and who we are inside. It also has darkness, it takes absolute courage to be your most authentic self. It is a painful experience when you let who you are shine free. And these three female protagonists, these powerful women each of whom are on their own path, show that courage in different ways. 

Read Light From Uncommon Stars

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Best SFF Books of 2022 So Far: Picked by the GDM Team

The Grimdark Magazine review team are pretty widely read, and every six months or so we ask each of them what book they’ve loved the most recently. So far in 2022 there have been some absolutely cracking books released across fantasy and sci-fi. With a focus on grimdark and dark SFF, we know you’ll find plenty of books below to add to your TBR in this list.

THE MALEFICENT SEVEN BY CAMERON JOHNSTONPICKED BY ELIZABETH TABLER

“The Maleficent Seven is a fun, thrilling, and bloody novel filled with interesting characters and a unique world. If you are after the fantasy version of The Magnificent Seven with a bunch of bitter villains then this is the book for you.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: Black Herran was a dread demonologist, and the most ruthless general in all Essoran. She assembled the six most fearsome warriors to captain her armies: a necromancer, a vampire lord, a demigod, an orcish warleader, a pirate queen, and a twisted alchemist. Together they brought the whole continent to its knees… Until the day she abandoned her army, on the eve of total victory.

40 years later, she must bring her former captains back together for one final stand, in the small town of Tarnbrooke – the last bastion against a fanatical new enemy tearing through the land, intent on finishing the job Black Herran started years before.

Seven bloodthirsty monsters. One town. Their last hope. 

REAd THE MALEFICENT SEVEN BY CAMERON JOHNSTON

A RIVER ENCHANTED BY REBECCA ROSSPICKED BY BRIGID FLANAGAN

About the book: Jack Tamerlaine hasn’t stepped foot on Cadence in ten long years, content to study music at the mainland university. But when young girls start disappearing from the isle, Jack is summoned home to help find them. Enchantments run deep on Cadence: gossip is carried by the wind, plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut of a knife can instill fathomless fear. The capricious spirits that rule the isle by fire, water, earth, and wind find mirth in the lives of the humans who call the land home. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack’s childhood enemy, knows the spirits only answer to a bard’s music, and she hopes Jack can draw them forth by song, enticing them to return the missing girls.

As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.

With unforgettable characters, a fast-paced plot, and compelling world building, A River Enchanted is a stirring story of duty, love, and the power of true partnership, and marks Rebecca Ross’s brilliant entry on the adult fantasy stage.

Read A RIVER ENCHANTED BY REBECCA ROSS

THE HAND THAT CASTS THE BONE BY H.L. TINSLEYPICKED BY CHRIS HAUGHT

About the book: Alone in a city on the cusp of revolution, separated from his allies and with nothing to his name, former mercenary John Vanguard finds vigilante life can be a poorly paid gig. When an influential aristocrat’s death causes a sudden shift in the balance of power, Vanguard finds himself once more caught in the crossfire between dangerous men with murderous ambitions.

From his tower far above the city, Captain Sanquain seeks to tighten his iron grip on the capital and its citizens. Amidst the chaos of the Black Zone, a deadly turf war is brewing between the crime lords. Outside the city, libertarian Argent Cooke struggles to gather support for the uprising. And from the smog-stained rooftops, Vanguard’s former protégé Tarryn Leersac is watching all.

With any hopes of redemption fading, Vanguard finds one last shred of hope in the form of an old friend, risen from the dead and promising the chance for atonement.

REad THE HAND THAT CASTS THE BONE BY H.L. TINSLEY

THE MARTYR BY ANTHONY RYANPICKED BY AARON JONES

“The Martyr continues the brilliance of The Pariah with more grit and adventure that Anthony Ryan fans and newcomers will devour. An intriguing tale with commentary on the difficulties that face the common man when those in power think only of themselves. With a charismatic lead and a grim world full of interesting characters, this book is destined to be on many readers’ top ten lists by the end of the year!”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: Times have changed for Alwyn Scribe. Once an outlaw, he’s now a spymaster and sworn protector of Lady Evadine Courlain, whose visions of a demonic apocalypse have earned her the fanatical devotion of the faithful.

Yet Evadine’s growing fame has put her at odds with both Crown and Covenant. As trouble brews in the kingdom, both seek to exploit her position for their own ends.

Sent to the Duchy of Alundia to put down a rebellion, Alwyn must rely on old instincts to fight for his new cause. Deadly feuds and ancient secrets are laid bare as war erupts, a war that will decide the fate of the Kingdom of Albermaine and, perhaps, prevent the coming of the prophesied Second Scourge.

Read THE MARTYR BY ANTHONY RYAN

DRAGONS OF DECEIT BY MARGARET WEIS AND TRACY HICKMANPICKED BY JODIE CRUMP

“The story was fast-paced and exciting, the sort of adventure I love reading about. It ended with a bang and left me wishing I had a Device of Time Journeying of my own, so that I could travel forward and read book two. Unsurprisingly, Dragons of Deceit was incredible.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: Destina Rosethorn–as her name implies–believes herself to be very much a favored child of destiny. But when her father dis in the War of the Lance, her carefully-constructed world comes crashing down. Not only does she lost her beloved father, but the legacy he has left her: a wealthy fiance, and rule over the family lands and castle. With nothing left in the world to support her but wits and determination, she hatches a bold plan: to secure the Device of Time Journeying she read about in one of her father’s books and prevent her father’s death.

The last known holder of the Device was one of the Heroes of the Lance: the free-spirited kender, Tasselhoff Burrfoot. BUt when Destina arrives in Solace–home not only to Tas, but to fellow heroes Caramon and Tika Majere–she sets into motion a chain of events more deadly than she had ever anticipated: one that could change not only her personal history, but the fate of the entire world, allowing a previously-defeated evil to once again gain ascendancy.

Read DRAGONS OF DECEIT BY MARGARET WEIS AND TRACY HICKMAN

A TOUCH OF LIGHT BY THIAGO ABDALLAPICKED BY RAI FURNISS-GREASLEY

“A Touch of Light is highly recommended for fans of nuanced character-driven fantasy who wish to get lost in a richly detailed new world full of intrigue and action.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: The world of Avarin is tearing itself apart. The Domain worships life, its leaders lead eternal lives and death is a shame that must not be mourned. But, for the clans to the south, death is all that keeps the Earth alive.

Adrian is a prince of one of the Domain nations. Church teaching says his grief is forbidden, but he will stop at nothing to return his loved ones to worthiness. Even if it means sacrificing his own.

Lynn is a rogue elite warrior hiding from her past. But now, an old enemy is rising, and running is no longer an option.

Nasha is a gifted hunter hiding a terrible secret. A lifelong outcast, she desperately fights for belonging in the Ronar, a proud southern clan. Yet a changing world threatens more than just her status in the community.

But now a terrifying foe creeps nearer, and the people of Avarin must fight to save it.

Before death comes for them all.

Read A TOUCH OF LIGHT BY THIAGO ABDALLA

AN END TO SORROW BY MICHAEL R. FLETCHERPICKED BY TOM SMITH

About the book: THE OBSIDIAN PATH IS IN RUINS

Abandoned by his god and chained in the bilge of Iremaire’s war galley, Khraen has lost everything.

His only friend is dead, his wife beheaded and thrown into the ocean.

In an act of true self-destruction, a shard of Khraen’s heart stalks the islands destroying the others.

His sword calls him home to PalTaq, where it all began.

Only there can Khraen find an end to sorrow.

 

 

REad AN END TO SORROW BY MICHAEL R. FLETCHER

BOOK OF NIGHT BY HOLLY BLACKPICKED BY HANNAH HOLMES

“The twists seemed to come out of nowhere, yet when I traced back the scenes in the book, the clues were right in front of me… Book of Night is an exciting urban fantasy from an author who can easily conquer any genre she chooses to write in.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone’s feelings—and memories—but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own.

Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naive new money in her town at the edge of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie’s present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear—and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a cast of doppelgängers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister—all desperate to control the magic of the shadows.

Read BOOK OF NIGHT BY HOLLY BLACK

THE JUSTICE OF KINGS BY RICHARD SWANPICKED BY ADRIAN COLLINS

“The Justice of Kings is a brilliant book 1, with intrigue, excellent character arcs, a brutal magic system, and a story I just could not put down. There’s plenty in there for grimdark fans to enjoy, and I feel confident in telling you that The Justice of Kings needs to be in every dark fantasy fan’s TBR pile for 2022.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: As an Emperor’s Justice, Sir Konrad Vonvalt always has the last word. His duty is to uphold the law of the empire using whatever tools he has at his disposal: whether it’s his blade, the arcane secrets passed down from Justice to Justice, or his wealth of knowledge of the laws of the empire. But usually his reputation as one of the most revered—and hated—Justices is enough to get most any job done.

When Vonvalt investigates the murder of a noblewoman, he finds his authority being challenged like never before. As the simple case becomes more complex and convoluted, he begins to pull at the threads that unravel a conspiracy that could see an end to all Justices, and a beginning to lawless chaos across the empire.

Read THE JUSTICE OF KINGS BY RICHARD SWAN

THE GIRL AND THE MOON BY MARK LAWRENCEPICKED BY JOHN MAURO

“There are so many good things about The Girl and the Moon that is impossible to detail them without risking spoiling parts of the novel. It is a spectacular piece of writing and demonstrative of the consistently high standard readers have come to expect from Mark Lawrence.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: On the planet Abeth, a narrow Corridor of green land is surrounded on all sides by ice plains where only the strong survive. Ice triber Yaz has completed a perilous journey and arrived at the Corridor, and it exceeds and overwhelms all of her expectations. Everything seems different but some constants remain: her old enemies are still two steps ahead, bent on her destruction. She makes her way to the Convent of Sweet Mercy, where nuns train young girls who show the old gifts, but like the Corridor itself the convent is packed with peril and opportunity. Yaz has much to learn from the nuns—if they don’t decide to execute her.

The fate of everyone squeezed between the Corridor’s vast walls, and ultimately the fate of those laboring to survive out on ice itself, hangs from the moon, and the battle to save the moon centers on the Ark of the Missing, buried beneath the emperor’s palace. Everyone wants Yaz to be the key that will open the Ark – the one the wise have sought for generations. But sometimes wanting isn’t enough.

Read THE GIRL AND THE MOON BY MARK LAWRENCE

THE RUSH BY SIMON SPURRIERPICKED BY MATT DAVIS

“It establishes the tone, stakes, and premise while setting the hook and drawing the reader in. It gives you enough to chew on so that when the close of the issue does come, you’re chomping at the bit for more. More blood in the snow, more horror in the freezing cold, more of humanity on the brink of madness.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: This Hungry Earth Reddens Under Snowclad Hills.

1899, Yukon Territory. A frozen frontier, bloodied and bruised by the last great Gold Rush. But in the lawless wastes to the North, something whispers in the hindbrains of men, drawing them to a blighted valley, where giant spidertracks mark the snow and impossible guns roar in the night.

To Brokehoof, where gold and blood are mined alike. Now, stumbling towards its haunted forests comes a woman gripped not by greed — but the snarling rage of a mother in search of her child…

From Si Spurrier (Way of X, Hellblazer) and Nathan Gooden (Barbaric, Dark One) comes THE RUSH, a dark, lyrical delve into the horror and madness of the wild Yukon.

Read THE RUSH BY SIMON SPURRIER

THE GARDEN OF EMPIRE BY J.T. GREATHOUSEPICKED BY JAMES TIVENDALE

“The last 20% (…) is superb and on par with the finest moments I’ve read in SFF so far this year. The characters and the world at the end of The Garden of Empire are almost unrecognisable from what we’re welcomed to at the start and I’m all-in for the final novel in this series,”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: WAR MAKES MONSTERS OF EVERYONE.

Foolish Cur, once named Wen Alder, finds that his allies in the rebellion might cross any line if it means freedom from the Empire. But he can’t overcome a foe as strong as Emperor Tenet alone.

REBELLION HAS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

Koro Ha, Foolish Cur’s former tutor, discovers the Empire is not so forgiving of those who raise a traitor. And their suspicion may cost him and his people more than he can imagine.

THE GODS ARE LURKING IN THE SHADOWS.

As war against the Empire rages, Foolish Cur knows there is a greater threat. The emperor plans his own coup against the gods, and they will wreak destruction if he tries. To stop him, Foolish Cur might have to risk everything – and resort to ancient magics that could tear the world apart.

Read THE GARDEN OF EMPIRE BY J.T. GREATHOUSE

AGE OF ASH BY DANIEL ABRAHAMPICKED BY ANGELA GUALTIERI

“This is my first experience of reading Abraham’s work but I have been told that this methodical and steady style is typical. So if you are approaching Age of Ash armed with this knowledge and do not need a large cast of characters or numerous stand out moments of action in your fantasy fiction, I think you will thoroughly enjoy this first foray in to Kithamar.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: Kithamar is a center of trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories unfold.

This is Alys’s.

When her brother is murdered, a petty thief from the slums of Longhill sets out to discover who killed him and why.  But the more she discovers about him, the more she learns about herself, and the truths she finds are more dangerous than knives.

Swept up in an intrigue as deep as the roots of Kithamar, where the secrets of the lowest born can sometimes topple thrones, the story Alys chooses will have the power to change everything.

Read AGE OF ASH BY DANIEL ABRAHAM

SPEAR BY NICOLA GRIFFITHPICKED BY FABIENNE SCHWIZER

“Spear by Nicola Griffith is a gorgeous queer Arthurian novella out from Tor.com in April 2022. And if it sounds even the slightest bit like something you’d enjoy, this is a book to preorder now. It blew my mind as I read it on the day I received it. This slim volume manages to capture its reader and tell a complete story in just under two hundred pages, something which many longer books don’t achieve.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: The girl knows she has a destiny before she even knows her name. She grows up in the wild, in a cave with her mother, but visions of a faraway lake come to her on the spring breeze, and when she hears a traveler speak of Artos, king of Caer Leon, she knows that her future lies at his court.

And so, brimming with magic and eager to test her strength, she breaks her covenant with her mother and, with a broken hunting spear and mended armour, rides on a bony gelding to Caer Leon. On her adventures she will meet great knights and steal the hearts of beautiful women. She will fight warriors and sorcerers. And she will find her love, and the lake, and her fate.

Read SPEAR BY NICOLA GRIFFITH

STARS AND BONES BY GARETH L. POWELLPICKED BY CHRISTOPHER NAPIER

“Powell is an eloquent and engaging writer who manages to balance epic exposition, jaw dropping action (or horror) and introspective personal moments without ever losing control of the pace. Stars and Bones never drags, I found myself always caring about the outcome – even more for Eryn and company than the notional destruction of the human race.

All in all, Stars and Bones is a grand read, full of action and emotion.”

Read the rest of our review.

About the book: Seventy-five years from today, the human race has been cast from a dying Earth to wander the stars in a vast fleet of arks—each shaped by its inhabitants into a diverse and fascinating new environment, with its own rules and eccentricities.

When her sister disappears while responding to a mysterious alien distress call, Eryn insists on being part of the crew sent to look for her. What she discovers on Candidate-623 is both terrifying and deadly. When the threat follows her back to the fleet and people start dying, she is tasked with seeking out a legendary recluse who may just hold the key to humanity’s survival.

Read STARS AND BONES BY GARETH L. POWELL

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne
The Warrior by Stephen Aryan
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Mass
The Shadow of Glass by Josh Winning
Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons and Dragons by Ben Riggs
The First Binding by R.R. Virdi

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REVIEW: The First Binding by R.R. Virdi

The First Binding is the epic fantasy debut of author R.R. Virdi and is an intriguing and exciting first entry in the Tales of Tremaine series. The novel itself is a massive 817-pages.

In a similar fashion to Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind and Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire, The First Binding is about an important character revealing their epic tale, telling the truth about their becoming legendary or infamous and how they ended up in the position they are in at the present time. It’s been a while since I read The Name of the Wind (and gave up halfway through The Wise Man’s Fear) but there are a few apparent similarities that stuck out to me which may put some readers off, whilst enticing just as many to give it a chance and pick up what I found to be a pretty special story. The First Binding is beautifully written, vast in its scope, and features a world with considerable depth and a flourishing rhythm throughout. After only 50 pages I was completely invested.

In The First Binding, The Storyteller (Ari) is a red-headed, magic-wielding performer, who wears a blood-red cape, and is hunting an ancient evil known as the Ashura (who are disregarded by most as being nothing but farfetched tales to frighten children). He can weave his tales how he wishes, sometimes merging stories together, twisting them, outright lying, increasing his legend, or changing the truths to however suits his needs or audiences. This is all intertwined with his magic usage, which could seem to his observers as cheap parlour tricks, yet, he may be utilising the Bindings. He’s developed an impressive knowledge of the stories regarding the Lands of Tremaine and the Golden Road. Some of the novel’s finest worldbuilding moments are presented through Ari’s tale-telling, for example, the history of the Gods, such as Brahm.

I’d estimate that about 25% – 33% of The First Binding is set in the “present day” period. This is more than I remember The Name of the Wind being, and the present-day actions here seem more dynamic and important than in Rothfuss’ debut. The story of Ari’s youth is told to the almost as mysterious, charming, and witty Eloine, whose past is also shrouded in intrigue. When I was scribbling some review writings, I noted that Ari’s history is told in chronological order which I distinguished as “Theatre”, “Boy Thief”, “Travelling”, and then “Magic Academy” periods. I believe these descriptions give a brief indication of what to expect, without really spoiling anything. Ari’s age as the storyteller isn’t disclosed. I was trying to work it out as I’m sure there are a few hints, but, due to the magical nature of this fantasy world, he could be anywhere between 30 and 100+. The flashback storytelling sections of Ari’s life cover his early youth to teenage years.

Jim Butcher reflected that Virdi’s The First Binding was written with passion and love and I think he’s completely accurate. It’s poignant, poetic, and neatly paced, with some noteworthy standout setpieces, and many moments that present a unique sense of awe. The novel has a lot of what you’d expect too, including intricate training montages, magic tutoring segments, bitter rivalries, misunderstanding love, true friendships, horrid happenings, and curious motives of supporting characters, and I absolutely loved that kookiness of the characters in the Crow’s Nest. The fact that there might be a God wandering somewhere in the mix as well really piques my curiosity. Observing the artwork on both the advanced review copy and the first edition hardback; it looks sweeping, bold, and beautiful. Virdi’s words painted mental images for me that were just as striking and will stick with me for a long time. Just recalling some of these moments and images now, I can’t help but smile.

I’ve mentioned the books from The Kingkiller Chronicles a few times throughout this review, and the influence is definitely there which I believe Virdi has acknowledged. I’d say The First Binding stands strong as a peer rather than an imitation and personally I enjoyed this book more than any of Rothfuss’ (although The Slow Regard of Silent Things is pretty wonderful). I don’t have too many negatives about my reading experience. Having to state a few minor issues, I became disinterested quickly with a couple of the songs, certain moments seemed to drag and I think the length of this novel was intimidating to the extent it slowed my reading pace. The intermissions returning to the present day were mostly well-timed but until the excellent political game of intrigue, favours and masks close to the end, these seemed more like filler than the tales of Ari. There were a few minor inconsistencies in terms of how Ari’s powers manifested, though nothing that hindered my enjoyment of the book and overall, The First Binding is a high-quality fantasy epic and I can’t wait for the next book. 8.5/10.

I received an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to R.R. Virdi and Gollancz and Tor Books. 

Read The First Binding by R.R. Virdi

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REVIEW: The Worthy by Anna K. Moss

The Worthy is the debut novel from independent author and editor Anna K Moss. It is a well written and engaging dark fantasy that I enjoyed reading and I’m pleased to be able to review it for Grimdark Magazine.

The narrative of The Worthy follows multiple points of view, the two major ones being those of the royal siblings of Crell – Prince Barsten and Princess Ailith, as the siblings vie for the throne. On one hand, Ailith, the shrewd and cunning princess seems a logical choice. She is clever and has proven her strategic skills more than once to the benefit of Crell. However, being a woman in a misogynistic patriarchal society probably means that, even were she to take it, holding the throne would be impossible. Prince Barsten would therefore be the more sensible option – apart from the fact he is an utter idiot. I genuinely cannot think of many fictional characters I took a more instant dislike to than Barsten. But what other options does Crell have?

There were many things I really enjoyed about Moss’ debut. The Worthy has good pacing so I was engaged from the opening and Moss maintained this. The character of Ailith was my favourite and it was nice to see such a strong sapphic representation in a dark fantasy novel. The Worthy does not stray into the realms of a romance novel though, and even with a fair chunk of sapphic longing there is also a wealth of political intrigue and some very well constructed fight scenes. It is violent and bloody without being gratuitous and Moss shows the desperation of Crell and its inhabitants in a very humane way.

However, a down side of Moss’ firm pacing did mean that the ending of The Worthy felt a little abrupt for me. There are a lot of unresolved issues which I presume will be tackled in a sequel to The Worthy but it felt like the novel stopped unexpectedly rather than reached a satisfying conclusion. This may have been because I was reading an eARC rather than a physical book and had not realised just how close I was to finishing The Worthy but it seemed anticlimactic all the same. I also felt that one of the side characters and their narratives was superfluous to the main plot. I enjoyed reading their chapters and I kept waiting for there to be a significant link to the main storyline, which ended up not happening. Though, as with the other unanswered questions, it might be that this character proves to be of greater importance in a later novel.

Overall, I think that The Worthy gives a worthwhile return on the reader’s time. Moss’ debut is a strong and compelling read and I am invested enough in the world of Crell and Moss’ characters to continue with the series. Thank you to Anna K Moss for sending me a copy of The Worthy to be able to provide this review.

3.5/5

Read The Worthy by Anna K. Moss

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REVIEW: Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Hyperion, the Hugo Award-winning 1989 novel by Dan Simmons, is one of the greatest classics of grimdark science fiction. An interstellar coalition of 29 th -century humans known as the Hegemony of Man is allied with the TechnoCore, an association of self-sentient artificial intelligence (AI) beings. The Hegemony and the TechnoCore join forces against the Ousters, a group of genetically modified superhumans bent on intergalactic domination.

The main plot of Hyperion involves seven travelers making a final pilgrimage to the distant planet of Hyperion before an expected invasion by the Ousters. Hyperion is famed for its legendary Time Tomb structures, which are believed to have originated from the future. The Time Tombs are guarded by a fearsome godlike creature known as the Shrike, who has a cultlike religious following.

Hyperion adopts the same narrative structure as The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer’s fourteenth century epic featuring stories told by a group of pilgrims who journey together to visit the Saint Thomas Becket shrine at Canterbury Cathedral. In Hyperion, six of the seven travelers share their stories leading to their current pilgrimage to see the Shrike. Dan Simmons adeptly adjusts his writing style for each of the six novellas within the outer framing story, spanning everything from horror to romance. The ominous, omnipotent presence of the Shrike is felt in the background of each story, haunting each of the narrators.

Oh, and one of the narrators is actually a spy in league with the Ousters.

The line between humanity and AI is blurred in Hyperion, most notably with the development of cybrids, AI-controlled beings with bodies grown from human DNA. In this sense, cybrids are the opposite of cyborgs, which have a biological consciousness but with a machine-enhanced body.

The stories in Hyperion are steeped in religion and references to classic literature. The first novella, “The Priest’s Tale,” is a horror story detailing the journey of two Catholic missionaries on Hyperion who are infected with a wormlike parasite known as the cruciform. The cruciform parasite takes the shape of a cross beneath their skin, leading to indescribable pain. After killing its host, the parasite can resurrect the host’s body, repeating the cycle of grief and suffering.

The second story, “The Soldier’s Tale,” features a Palestinian soldier engaged in military training through a series of simulated battles, where he is saved by a mysterious woman who becomes his lover. The central mystery of the story involves whether the woman is real and her motives for manipulating the soldier.

In “The Poet’s Tale,” a poet obsessively seeks artistic perfection by writing The Hyperion Cantos (also the name of Dan Simmons’s series of novels) using the Shrike as his muse. Whereas the narrators of the two previous stories represent major monotheistic religions, the poet takes a more pluralistic approach to theology, having embraced and rejected a surprising number of faiths throughout his life.

The next story, “The Scholar’s Tale,” features a Jewish scholar seeking a cure for his infant daughter, who has been aging backwards after being infected by a mysterious illness that reverses the arrow of time. Her illness first appeared when, as an adult archaeologist, she visited Hyperion to study the Time Tombs and had an encounter with the Shrike. Her father hopes that the Shrike will also have the cure. But he must find this cure before it’s too late, since his daughter’s birth would also mean her death. “The Scholar’s Tale” is the most heartbreaking of the stories in Hyperion. I particularly love the way it parallels the Biblical story of Abraham and Isaac.

“The Detective’s Tale” is both a hardboiled detective story and a bizarre romance between a private investigator and her client, a cybrid version of English poet John Keats. The real-life Keats died from tuberculosis in 1821 at the age of 25, leaving behind an unfinished epic poem titled Hyperion. In “The Detective’s Tale,” the cybrid Keats hires the detective to investigate his own murder, where the circumstances of his death are connected to the Shrike. In my favorite part of the story, the cybrid Keats recites the first canto from The Fall of Hyperion – A Dream, another unfinished gem by the real historical Keats.

The last story is from the Consul, the former governor of Hyperion. “The Consul’s Tale” is a love story complicated by time dilation, causing the two lovers to age at different rates. Besides revealing the origin of the Consul himself, “The Consul’s Tale” contains the most important information regarding the history of the war between the Hegemony and the Ousters.

Hyperion is an astoundingly prescient book given its publication date of 1989. Beyond the usual science fiction tropes of space travel and intergalactic politics, Dan Simmons nailed the ubiquitous role of artificial intelligence. Simmons also postulated the development of the WorldWeb, a network granting instantaneous travel and universal access to information. The actual invention of the World Wide Web by Tim Berners-Lee occurred in the same year as Hyperion’s publication.

Reading Hyperion is a transcendent experience. It is science fiction of the highest caliber and a multi-layered allegory of human existence in all its beauty and horror.

5/5

Read Hyperion by Dan Simmons

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REVIEW: The Rings of Power – Episode Three

The Rings of Power begins to hit its stride as we reach the third episode in Amazon’s expensive series based on the work of Lord of the Ring’s JRR Tolkien. The journey so far has been beautiful but bumpy, however, the latest episode is a sign that there is greatness ahead in this series. Brutal fights, intriguing characters, and a journey to a land not yet seen on any screen – The Rings of Power E3 is a treat for fans of Tolkien’s work.

The highlight of The Rings of Power E3 for Tolkien fans will be the time spent on the legendary island of Numenor. Elendil. Isildur. Galadriel. These iconic figures from the history of Middle-earth are all together on one island and Lord of the Rings fans will be buzzing to see these characters on screen for an extended period of time. As in the previous episodes, Morfydd Clark shines as the elven warrior. Trapped on the island, she uses her time to shine a light on the staggering difference in perspective for the short-lived humans and the immortal elven-kin. Casually mentioning that she knew the builder of one of the historic buildings on Numenor is another reminder of the difference between elves and the other races, something touched on in the previous episode with Elrond and
Durin. It is something that will be built upon moving forward as we all know the nature of men and how easily they can be corrupted in this universe as they long for the immortality of their neighbours. The Rings of Power E3 also seems to have its own version of Aragorn in Halbrand, a man filled with guilt and not too shabby in a fight who is fleeing his responsibility to his people.

The Rings of Power E3 is as stunning to look at as ever. Numenor is an incredible destination and it is amazing to see the way in which the Harfoots hide into their surroundings in a similar way to which Tolkien described the way in which Hobbits hid from men in the The Hobbit. The Harfoots work in a similar way to Hobbits in that they are the heart of the show; characters who will be swept up in the war to come. There are dark rumours of Sauron and the shadow of the rings and Nazgul to come add a darkness to the show that will suit fans of grimdark, who will also enjoy the brutal fight scenes in this episode. This may be Tolkien’s high fantasy but the fight scenes begin to show the brutality of those seen in The Wheel of Time and The Witcher. Arondir is trapped amongst orcs and as the elves fight back, we see some of the best work in the series. The orcs are searching for something, adding a bit of suspense to the episode before a huge fight breaks out including deaths that grimdark fans will surely appreciate.

Tighter, darker, but still as stunning as the previous episodes, The Rings of Power E3 is an episode that shows a series hitting its stride with a great cast and interesting worldbuilding that is building to something that could be exceptional. There’s brutality, beauty, and characters we know and love. The Rings of Power E3 is essential viewing not just for Tolkien fans, but for fans of all fantasy. Dark times are ahead, and I can’t wait!

Watch The Rings of Power on Prime.

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