E.M. Hamill's Blog, page 3

Indie Advent Day 23: Orconomics by J. Zachary Pike

GET BOOK 1 OF THE DARK PROFIT SAGA HERE

The next couple of days, I’m Orc-ing it up with two of my absolute favorites. Orconomics: A Satire is one of the funniest and most enjoyable books I have ever read. As an old RPG’er I loved the little inside jokes sprinkled in this book. Gorm is my new favorite hero, although he would probably take off my head for implying he was anything of the sort. The characters are fantastically drawn and oh so human, even if they aren’t human.

Exiled and blacklisted by his guild, Gorm finds himself less-than-voluntarily embroiled in one final quest, accompanied by a party of equally dubious companions. What follows is a quest that, naturally, nobody may survive. It’s cuttingly hilarious and deeply satirical, as the title warns, full of biting politics and clandestine financial shenanigans.

Read this. Seriously, read it.

Indie Advent Day 22: The Herald of Autumn by J.M. Guillen

READ THIS MAD, BEAUTIFUL NOVELLA HERE

J.M. Guillen is a madman who writes books in multiple speculative fiction genres called The Irrational Worlds series, all of which tie together battling the same eldritch forces across time and space. I’ve read several of the others which are fantastic in their own right, especially Rationality Zero. But Tommy Maple’s story holds a special place in my heart.

You see, The Herald of Autumn has stuck with me ever since I read it a few years ago–the prose and poetry and storytelling is magical. It is fey and wild and absolutely stunning, a mixture of mythology a la Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, part dark fairy tale and part Lovecraftian horror that sinks its hooks in and keeps you reading.

Tommy Maple wears the mantle of Autumn, and as such is bound by the will of the Autumn Queen. Tommy is a wild and free spirit, but when he is awakened too early from his slumber by a trickster shaman who has somehow gleaned his true name, Tommy realizes something terrible is happening. He doesn’t know if he can trust his ancient enemy, but an evil threatens to sweep through the land. The Herald must reclaim his weapons and defeat the shambling creature, for if he does not, he will be destroyed and rise to join the shadow forces threatening to unmake the world.

Continuation of the story told in Herald goes on in The Harrowing of Twilight. The author recently re-published The Herald of Autumn on Kindle Vella, so do yourself a favor and read it. You will not regret it, I swear.

Indie Advent Day 21: Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne

GET THIS HILARIOUS, EXCITING BOOK HERE

I had the best time reading Wistful Ascending! It’s a genre-blending masterpiece and so much fun. It had me laughing out loud at all the inside jokes and was a blast to read.

Tow Chief Second Class Rohan is a super powered guy who really just wants to be left alone. He was a literal weapon of war once, but that part of his life is over and now all he would like to do is drink coffee and tow ships into Wistful (a sentient space station with an acerbic sense of humor).

But space bears, his new girlfriend’s meddling father and a headstrong scientist have other ideas about what Rohan should be doing. Yes, I said space bears! It’s exactly like it sounds and completely hilarious, but in all seriousness, the alien races in the book are well drawn and the world building is spot-on. I can see everything in my head with this book and I love it when that happens.

I just started Turn Two of the Hybrid Helix series, Return of the Griffin, and it’s every bit as good. Don’t miss this series!

Indie Advent Day 20: Slippery Creatures: The Will Darling Adventures by K.J. Charles

GET THIS WONDERFUL ADVENTURE HERE:

KJ Charles writes LGBTQ period fiction in many different genres: fantasy, regency romance, and romantic adventure. This definitely falls into the latter category, so it isn’t quite like the rest of the books in my indie advent series, but The Will Darling Adventures are absolutely wonderful. I would be remiss in not including any of KJ Charles’s books because the writing is sublime and the stories are just *chef’s kiss*.

Will Darling, back fresh from the trenches of WWI, has taken over his deceased Uncle William’s book shop when threatening strangers come calling, intent on getting sensitive information out of the wrong Mr. William Darling. Into his shop strides the handsome, aristocratic Kim Secretan, and Will finds himself hopelessly entangled in physical desire, matters of national security, and a mystery of information hidden somewhere in the dusty, crowded volumes of his overflowing bookshop. Will’s quiet new life after the horrors of the battlefield may be forfeit if he can’t find the clandestine secrets the War Office wants–and a nasty revolutionary group is prepared to kill for.

Oh, so GOOD. I like Will and Kim together. It’s a messy affair that surprises them both with its intensity, but none more so than Will. Being gay in the 1920’s is still punishable by law and things must be navigated with complete discretion when one’s lover is in the society pages. The secondary characters of Kim’s understanding fiancee, Phoebe, and Will’s best gal pal Maisie, are so wonderful we see a lot more of them in the next books. Like anything of KJ Charles’s that I’ve read, it’s highly recommended.

Indie Advent Day 19: Ardulum: First Don by J.S. Fields

This book is about to be re-released under the new Space Wizard Science Fantasy label, but you can still get it (although with a different cover) HERE

 This one hit that space-opera loving side of me!

Neek is a cool character, the only one of her species to be currently exiled from her planet, so EVERYBODY in the universe knows that she screwed up, much to her chagrin. Her crime: questioning the quasi-scientific religion followed by everyone on Neek (the name of her planet, and and also of every adult being on the planet so no one gets uppity and thinks they’re better than anyone else). Neek, a pilot in her very blood, was stripped of her flight commission and rank for daring to voice an unpopular opinion. She now works on a battered old transport piloted by a human captain and their teenaged Terran Explorer Scout, who’s getting more of an education than he bargained for. I loved the relationships between these three and how they evolved.

When they receive a dubious “gift” of a stasis pod from some aliens in thanks for intervening in a space battle, Neek’s lack of belief is dealt a huge blow, because who is inside sure as hell looks like one of the gods her planet worships.

There’s a lot of tense galactic politics with beach-ball shaped aliens, but the best part of this is the science in the science fiction! Fields holds a doctorate in the study of wood and fungus, and it’s the science that shines here. The cellulose based starships. The sentient fungi ambassadors. It’s just a load of really fricking awesome and fun to read.

Indie Advent Day 18: Faerie Rising by A.E. Lowan

GET BOOK 1 OF THE FABULOUS URBAN FANTASY SERIES HERE

Holy moly. The Books of Binding deliver and then some. A.E. Lowan is actually the brain trust of three different authors writing as a collective, and it is totally amazing. (They also happen to be some of the coolest people in the world and have been my Planet Comicon neighbors for two out of the last three years!)

Oh, my gosh, do I like these books. Faerie Rising is completely engrossing, with characters I learned to love or hate pretty quickly. I got a real sense of place about Winter’s shop and the House and I love it when I’m transported into locations that way.

Winter Mulcahy is the last wizard in Seahaven, charged with keeping the peace among the rest of the city’s supernatural/fae/sidhe underworld denizens, but she is literally working herself to death. Addicted to energy potions that are burning out her body faster than she can heal rifts between Faerie and the human world, Winter’s outlook is bleak, and gets even bleaker when a sidhe lord bent on creating havoc in Seahaven makes his bid for power, putting everyone Winter cares about in danger.

It was an exciting read and was hard to put down to do things I needed to do. The series just keeps getting better – Book 3 knocked my socks off. Indie Urban Fantasy for the win with these books! (And, I noted the paperback is on steep discount on Amazon right now, so don’t wait too long to get immersed in Seahaven’s magical atmosphere.)

Indie Advent Day 17: The Stars Within by Alex Arch

GET THIS BATTLE FOR LIFE OR DEATH HERE

As a cancer survivor and an oncology nurse in my non-writing life, I usually don’t gravitate toward anything to do with the subject when I choose sci fi or fantasy books. Reading is an escape for me rather than a reflection of the mundane, taking me far away from stress and everyday life. However, I was hearing so many good things about The Stars Within that I had to give it a go.

I am really happy I did.

Alex Arch (the inspiring force of Indie Advent!) has crafted a war on two fronts: Thomas is fighting for his life when his cancer returns, deep in debt and indentured service to a mining company. Colette is a military strategist engaging an alien invasion and building a team of fighters best suited to accomplish a mission none of them may survive. The way these two stories entwine and interconnect in one hell of a twist is nothing short of brilliant.

I can’t say a ton about the story without spoilers, but I was completely invested in Thomas’s part of the narrative and the desperate gambles cancer patients have to make when they can’t afford treatment. I wasn’t quite as invested in Colette’s narrative until I figured out what was happening and THEN–boom. I was hooked.

This is high quality indie science fiction. Definitely one of the best I’ve read this year. Don’t miss out on this gem.

Indie Advent Day 16: White Trash Warlock by David Slayton

GET THIS GRITTY URBAN FANTASY HERE

David Slayton’s Adam Binder novels are about a young man from Oklahoma who’s been kicked around, sometimes literally, all of his life, growing up poor, weird, and gay. Adam has the Sight, an ability to see into other worlds parallel to the mortal realm and the beings who move between them, but it’s been more of a curse than a blessing. His mother and older brother had him committed to a psych hospital at one point because they thought he was crazy.

Adult Adam now lives in a run-down trailer with his Aunt Sue, who not only believes in his gift but carries more than a little of the family magic herself. But when his estranged brother returns to Oklahoma asking for his help, Adam doesn’t say no. Blood is thicker than their differences, and Bobby is at his wit’s end because he’s started to see some things he can’t explain. Adam might be the only one who can help, and he goes back to Denver with his brother. Bobby’s wife Annie is changing, in ways Adam soon begins to realize have more to do with the supernatural world than any physical or mental ailment.

Before long, Adam is up to his elbows in magical peril, forcing him to make some uncomfortable alliances. Elves, reapers, and Death herself have taken a particular interest in Adam and his latent gifts, and he is going to have to make a stand–or his family and the rest of the mortal world might not survive.

These books are so freaking good. I wait for them to come out and gobble them up like candy. I highly, highly recommend them!

Indie Advent Day 15: The Worth of Hair by A.A. Freeman

REEL IN THIS WONDERFUL FAIRY TALE RETELLING HERE

A.A. Freeman’s Midwife Fable novellas are sublime. This one was the first I read and remains my favorite.

Based loosely on The Little Mermaid, it is told from the point of view of a middle-aged woman who goes only by “The Midwife” (but has a much more colorful past than being a simple doula).

The Midwife is summoned to a decaying seaside kingdom to assist with a royal birth. Upon arrival she finds herself trapped in a strange, dying land. The kitschy trappings of the Prince’s fan club are everywhere, but one of the adoring fans conceals a darker secret. Death hangs heavy in the air, wielding a twisted blade forged of tears of the broken hearted, threatening the life of the royal baby. The Midwife has defeated her share of monsters, but how will she handle a kingdom cursed by the sea itself? No matter what happens, The Midwife swears she will deliver the baby, save the kingdom, and get the smell of dead fish out of her apron—even if it kills her.

The story is by turns hilarious and thrilling. I love the Midwife: world-weary, unimpressed by royalty, and more worried about when lunch is coming than she is by facing down dragons. Kudos to the author for this, as there aren’t nearly enough stories with characters of this ilk. I adored her.

The stories are little bite-sized pieces of pure joy.

Indie Advent Day 14: The Werewolf Whisperer by Camilla Ochlan and Bonita Gutierrez

AND THEY’RE EVEN ON SALE RIGHT NOW! AWOOOOO!

The books are awesome, with strong, kickass female lead characters in Lucy Lowell and Xochitl Magaña.

Ex-cop Lucy is famous for her ability to control and train humans infected with the Kyon virus: an epidemic that caused varying degrees of lycanthropy. Her talents are gaining some unfriendly attention, though.

Lucy and her best friend/partner Xochitl are soon dragged into a growing war between those who would sooner eradicate anyone infected with the virus–like Xochi’s brother Miguel–and those who seem to want to use Lucy’s ability to command weres for unknown purposes.

Holy, heck, Batman. There is so much action in this book it keeps you turning pages until the wee hours of the morning. If there is a down side, it would probably be in the multiple timelines playing out in the story, but the end result is completely worth it, with a setup for the next book I didn’t see coming. I didn’t have to think twice before clicking the download button on books two and three.

These are not your usual shifter books. It’s an ex-cop/vigilante drama with a side of werebeasts and muscle cars and a whole lot of intrigue and backstabbing that had me yelling at the page. If you like your urban fantasy with teeth and claws, definitely check these out! They’re available on Kindle Unlimited and in paperback.

Werewolf Apocalypse Howliday Sale!

Lose yourself in a werewolf wonderland. 

Lucy Lowell and Xochitl Magaña’s Were rescue, rehabilitation (and removal) road trip up and down California has turned them into a badass, slammin’ team of gun-slinging Were-wranglers. 

Skills honed, fame licking at their boots, Lucy and Xochi are about to learn that actions — even the most well-intentioned — have consequences, especially when you routinely put your tail on the line.

When your enemies have you by the DNA, your only choice is to EVOLVE or DIE.

Welcome to the werewolf apocalypse. Hope you’re locked and loaded.

Add some lycanthrope high jinks to your holidays, or give the gift of a merry shifter apocalypse with The Werewolf Whisperer series.

Available in Amazon Kindle, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited.