James Hockley's Blog
December 14, 2024
The Shadows Beneath the Revel
In the bustling city of Maegwyn, the annual Luminary Revel was approaching. The streets were adorned with colourful lanterns and lively banners, creating an atmosphere of joy and anticipation. However, hidden in the shadows was Alidinia, a young assassin who was now the focal point for every official in the city – and none of those officials cared for Ali’s wellbeing. His days in the light were numbered, and instead he had retreated to the shadows.
Jaded and desperate, Alidinia had sought refuge...
November 23, 2023
The Other Wind
The wizard Alder comes from Roke to the island of Gont in search of the Archmage, Lord Sparrowhawk, once known as Ged. The man who was once the most powerful wizard in the Islands now lives with his wife Tenar and their adopted daughter Tehanu. Alder needs help: his beloved wife died and in his dreams she calls him to the land of the dead - and now the dead are haunting him, begging for release. He can no longer sleep, and the Wizards of Earthsea are worried. But ther...
Tales from Earthsea
These five superlative, evocative and enchanting stories range from a few hundred years before A Wizard of Earthsea to just before The Other Wind, and feature some of Le Guin's most popular characters, including the Wizard Ged himself. The stories are rounded off with an essay about Earthsea's history and people. No Earthsea fan will want to be without this magical collection.”
Get it at AmazonThis was a natural place to go after ...
The Mage Wars
Set around three thousand years before the rest of the Valdemar series, this is the ancient history of Velgarth and the story of Skandranon Rashkae, a gryphon with gleaming ebony feathers, keen magesight and acute intelligence. He is the fulfillment of all that the Mage of Silence, the human sorcerer called Urtho, intended to achieve when he created these magical beings to be his champions, the defenders of his realm.
Get it at AmazonAf...
August 23, 2023
Earthsea: First Four Books
As a young dragonlord, Ged, whose use-name is Sparrowhawk, is sent to the island of Roke to learn the true way of magic. A natural magician, Ged becomes an Archmage and helps the High Priestess Tenar escape from the labyrinth of darkness. But as the years pass, true magic and ancient ways are forced to submit to the powers of evil and death.
Get it at Amazon
I read the first book in this series a while back whilst on a quest to read...
Healer’s Blade
A healer on the run. A rebel knight after her heart. Will she betray him to save the England she loves?
Get it at Amazon
This is not necessarily my normal read, but I came across it because it is coming up on promo and thought I should give it a go. It’s tagged as a YA fantasy adventure, and though it is very much written in this vein, it is also historical fiction – which I also love! There isn’t any magic or other obvious fantasy ele...
Heralds of Valdemar
Thirteen-year-old Talia longs for a better life, far away from her repressive stepmothers and the village of Sensholding, where books chronicling the adventures of the Heralds of Valdemar and their Companions offer her only escape. But when her family decide she is to be married, Talia flees, only to be rescued by one of the very Companions of legend, a magical steed with incredible powers. Talia soon discovers she has powers of her own, and, together with her Co...
May 3, 2021
Maps of Godslost
Image by Aline Ponce from Pixabay
Maps of GodslostMAP #1: The Imperial Limit | c. 620 years since the birth of the EmpireIt wouldn’t be fantasy without a good map, would it?
MAP #2: The Imperial Vault | c. 620 years since the birth of the Empire
The post Maps of Godslost first appeared on Fantasy Books by James Hockley.
May 13, 2020
How Long?
Units of distance in GodslostNothing breaks a good war like distance
Like any a good fantasy world, Godslost has its own concept of distance. After all, why would the people of Godslost make reference to a mile? That would make things too easy for us as readers.
The intention with these books is clearly that those diving into Godslost can do so with enough knowledge to navigate the place, including in deciphering distance. But for some that will not be enough....
What’s the Time?
Image by Andrew Martin from Pixabay
Units of time in GodslostTime is the ultimate devourer Villas the Unit
Like any a good fantasy world, Godslost has its own concept of time. Of course it does. Thats half the fun of a fantasy world all the weird stuff that goes with it.
The intention with these books is clearly that those diving into Godslost can do so with enough knowledge to navigate the place, including in deciphering time. But for some that will not be enough. After all, why is a ...
