Assaph Mehr's Blog, page 50

Book Review: Memento Mori, by Ruth Downie

This is probably my most-favourite Roman-era mystery series. I have previously interviewed both protagonists and was proud to be a part of the global launch of Memento Mori (you can read the first chapter here on my blog).

So the short version is: unsurprisingly, I enjoyed it very much. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that while reading the last bits of the book I missed my train stop.

Twice.

So yeah, an amazing novel for anyone who loves the genre.

What to expect

Dumped straight into the act...

Brain-to-Books 2018!

This post appears as part of the “Brain to Books Cyber Convention & Book Expo Fantasy Book Tour”…

Running from April 6th through April 8th 2018 this online book event brings readers and authors together for a weekend of books, and book related events.

Learn more here

G’day, Ave, and welcome

Oliver Muriel (of Lost Names, by AN Mouse)

Dear readers, joining me on the interview couch tonight is Oliver, ‘captain’ of a mercenary team. He’s here to tell us about his recent escape to Syama, why there are quotes around his title, and what it’s like living with professionals when you aren’t one. Tell us a little about where you grew up. What’s the Ves like? Are all the stories true?

Depends on who’s telling them. Let me put it this way; there was a shootout in my apartment block. On my floor....

Book Review: Grim, by Gavin McCallion

I guess the best way to summarise Grim would be “a cross between Gaiman and Trainspotting”.

Yeah, it’s a bit of a mind-bender right there. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but the premise looked promising. I started to read – and just kept on reading. McCallion certainly makes it explicit from the get-go what you are getting into.

What to expect

Expect a magical-realism style of writing, with a fantastical element woven into every-day modern life in a seamles...

Tilla (of the Medicus Roman Mysteries series, by Ruth Downie)

Dear readers, tonight with me is the wife of an officer in Hadrian’s legions. We have interviewed her husband before, but we thought it only fair that we give her a voice too.

Born as Darlughdacha of the Corionotatae (really, she’s not quite sure why people prefer ‘Tilla’), on the furthest reaches of the Roman empire. Though married to a Roman officer, she is a healer (and now a Roman citizen) in her own right.

She is here to tell us about life bridging the British a...

Ancient Roman Sources and Science

Ancient Greeks and Romans had pretty advanced science – and we know quite a bit about it. The two pieces referenced today will expose you to both what we know and how we do.

First an article about how we know what we know about Roman legions. This is extracted from Adrian Goldsworthy’s excellent The Complete Roman Army. That is an excellent book all by itself and highly recommended for anyone interested in the Roman army, but the extract focuses on the various sources we have and...

Gairynzvl (of the Dark Fey trilogy, by Cynthia A. Morgan)

Dear readers, tonight with me is a Fey of the Light, captured at a young age and taken to live amongst the Dark Fey – the Reviled.

He’s here to tell us of his adventures.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

My life has been dichotic.  I spent my first seven years in the village Hwyndarin with my family and the Fey of the Light. It is a place of simple beauty and communal living, where each villager shares life’s responsibilities and burdens.  I was...

Book Review: Black City Demon, by Richard A. Knaak

Seems like I just can’t stay away from these noir-historical-fantasy-detective blends… This is the second book in the Black City series; I’ve reviewed the first one here.

What to expect

This book, while a separate adventure, continues straight from the previous one and builds up on the events therein. You can expect to learn more about Nick Medea’s past, the world of Feirie, and Chicago’s history.

Without spoilers, this novel expounds on a dark episode in Chicago...

Zurik D’Vordi (of The Starsboro Chronicles, by Cameron J Quinn)

Dear readers, tonight with me is a young man that hunts the things that go bump in the night.

He’s here to tell us about his adventures with his brother and his police detective (unwilling) partner.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

My brother Trent and I grew up with our Grandfather. He was always pretty cold and distant. So most of my youth was spent getting into trouble of one kind or another to get the poor bastard’s attention. We spent a few years i...

How My Book Reviews Help Sales

I’ve been posting a lot of book reviews recently, so I thought I’d qualify my review scale and criteria. This should help those reading them judge whether my reviews align with their views enough to be considered a good recommendation.

I’ll start with what my father taught me about wine appreciation, and is pretty much the golden rule (or only rule) I know about fine-art appreciation:

If you like it, it’s good. If not, it’s not.

Simple and to the point, with no...