Beth Tabler's Blog, page 147
December 31, 2022
Jodie – BWG Team FAVORITE READS OF 2022
It was a chaotic year for me, but I was able to happily bury myself in immersive worlds and stories, meeting amazing characters and catching up with old friends. I managed to narrow my favorite books of 2022 down to a top twelve for my blog, and (after much hemming and hawing) have somehow piked a Festive Five from among that group. I’ve listed them below, as well as a line or two about each one.
1.Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
“Reading Dragons of Deceit was like catching up with friends I haven’t seen in a while. They’ve had new adventures, met new people. The world has kept going, but it happily welcomed me back.”
Buy from Amazon
2.The Shadow Glass by Josh Winning
“The Shadow Glass was a delightful smorgasbord of nostalgia and fun, while at the same times exploring themes of loss, love, grief, and self-discovery.”
Buy from Amazon
3.One Foot in the Fade by Luke Arnold
“A perfect blend between fantastical creativity and fascinating character development, One Foot in the Fade hooked me from page one.”
Buy from Amazon
4.Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons and Dragons by Ben Riggs
“A riveting look at the rise, fall, and reincarnation of TSR, the most honest one I’ve seen to date. I recommend this to anyone who remembers going into Walden Books and seeing a treasure trove of creativity, and to D&D fans of all ages.”
Buy from Amazon
5.Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans
“When an author combines extraordinary worldbuilding with a strong understanding of human nature, something magical happens. Empire of Exiles is spectacular, a feast for those who crave complex characters and sinister plots.”
Buy from Amazon
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Whitney – BWG TEAM FAVORITE READS OF 2022!!
Asking someone who loves to read to name their favorite book is an impossible question. It simply can’t be done. So, for my 2022 “Five Best” list, I decided to dig into my GoodReads and pull directly from there. Now, in all honesty, I am TERRIBLE at including physical books in my GR list and as such, it only reflects the ebooks I’ve read. Fair enough. Those are my initial, measurable parameters. Ebooks as shown on GoodReads purchased and read in 2022. Still quite a few to choose from. Mkay, how about five I get excited about possibly reading again and have recommended to friends? Admittedly, this is an immeasurable standard, but it’ll have to do. Here we go.
Powerless by Vicky Ball (Read January 2022)
Powerless is an outlier when it comes to my usual reading choices. That said, it is a powerful, fast-paced suspense novel with an incredible climactic twist which took me entirely by surprise. I was enthralled from page one and breathless at the last. When a missing child returns, years’ worth of questions aren’t answered easily. And sometimes, those answers break your heart. Ball is a truly talented writer and I hope to read more of her work.
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The Witch’s Knight by Paula and Trevor Brackston (Read March 2022)
Paula’s books are always a hit for me, so I leapt at the opportunity to read an ARC of The Witch’s Knight, a collaborative effort between Paula and her brother, Trevor. I was not disappointed. The authors’ distinct voices can be heard on every page and while different, they work together beautifully. Disparate narratives coalesce perfectly to tell the story of a medieval priestess, Rhiannon, and a modern-day bodyguard, Tudor. Neither time nor distance can keep them apart. It’s what happens in the middle that truly matters.
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Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Read April 2022)
Have you ever been hugged by a book? If not, go get a copy of Legends & Lattes and prepare to be squeezed. When an orc mercenary finally scrapes together enough coin to retire from the merc game and pursue her dream of opening a coffee shop, you can guarantee difficulties lie ahead. Baldree’s glorious cast of colorful characters (both good guys and bad) is charming, engaging, and wildly entertaining. This is a gem of feel-good fantasy and deserves a spot in every bookstore coffeeshop. Also worth mentioning, Baldree originally self-published Legends & Lattes only to have it picked up by Tor. Talk about a one-in-a-bazillion opportunity.
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The Living Waters by Dan Fitzgerald (Read May 2022)
When I saw The Living Waters being touted as “sword-free fantasy,” I wondered how that was even possible and whether it could possibly be any good. Oh my, good doesn’t begin to describe this book. Beautifully written, Waters delivers a captivating tale of discovery and growth, friendship and wonder, comfort and grief. I’ve never read anything like it, not even close. If I ever get to teach a creative writing class (ahem, if anyone can hook me up, I’d appreciate it), The Living Waters will be required reading for my students. It is truly a lesson in breaking the mold and creating something new out of the best pieces.
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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (Read December 2022)
When I’m not reading fantasy, you can bet I’m reading historical fiction. Lessons in Chemistry was recommended by a new friend and after reading it, I will forever trust her recommendations without reservation. Lessons is a fascinating, multi-layered, master class examination of one woman’s personal struggle for equality. It doesn’t focus on one large event but rather the systemic oppression and devaluation of women in the early 1960’s. Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant chemist in a field where men make the rules while women make coffee, is a heroine like no other and her message is crystal clear, “There’s no such thing as an average woman.” She is determined to change those rules – from the inside out. Zott may be fictional, but her story is exceptional and inspirational.
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CT Phipps – BWG TEAM FAVORITE READS OF 2022!!
2022 was a pretty good year for me, reading wise. I managed to hit my desired goal of reading over three hundred books. I admit, I cheated with this quite badly by reading a huge ton of comics on Kindle Unlimited and Comixology. Honestly, outside of Roy Thomas, I may now be the world’s greatest expert on Red Sonja. However, I still managed to read a lot of books that I had on my reading list before today.
Unfortunately, I’m absolutely terrible at narrowing down my lists so I’ve ended up with no less than four categories of top five books I’ve read this year. I hope you’ll take a moment to read my comments on the ones I’ve enjoyed the most.
You’ll note it’s a mix of classics, oldies, indies, and new releases.
Detective/Thriller
5. I, The Jury by Mickey Spillane
Mickey Spillane remains one of the controversial big names in Detective fiction. Mostly because he does the hard boiled thing of Chandler and Hammett then amps up the sex as well as violence to the 11. He’s more the Punisher than Magnum PI. I, The Jury is the best of his novels and the most entertaining of his cases with Mike still being probably the worst PI ever. Don’t worry, he eventually figures out who did it after the rest of the cast is dead.
4. The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy
James Ellroy is the master of recreating 1940s LA in a hyper-stylized ugly but entrancing image. It is a racist, misogynist, classicst corrupt city that is, nevertheless, full of beautiful women as well as manly men (as well as how those categories limit people). Centered around the real-life murder of Elizabeth Short, it is actually the story of two cops with one significantly more corrupt than the later. It’s a shame the movie version cut out so much of the book because it’s a really fascinating tale from beginning to end.
3. The Law by Jim Butcher
I know, it’s actually urban fantasy but I have to say The Law is probably my favorite Dresden Files book in years despite its short length. While a lot of fans were happy when Jim Butcher tried to move away from noir detective fiction to high stakes urban fantasy. Here, it’s trying to help an ex-prostitute turned school teacher and all the better for it. I wish Jim Butcher would do more stuff like this. It’s why I love his anthology books.
Review – The Law by Jim Butcher
2. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
The classic book that helped start it all, The Big Sleep is the best of Raymond Chandler’s work. If you’ve seen the Humprey Bogart adaptation, you’ve seen a 75% faithful reproduction but I think the book works better. Well, ignoring there’s a lot less sexual chemistry in the book. Phillip Marlowe is almost celibate in the books, disgusted by all the sleazy goings on around him. He’s a much nicer private detective in this book than the others in my list and, ironically, more so than in his later novels.
1. The Maltese Falcon by Dashielle Hammett
The actual detective novel that started the hardboiled genre, I’m a much bigger fan of Sam Spade than I am of Phillip Marlowe. Part of it is the fact that Sam is significantly more mercenary than Phillip. He’s certainly after justice for his dead partner but he also wants to make a profit from it as well. I’d say the movie version is actually 99% accurate and the few changes are almost incidental versus The Big Sleep.
Space Opera/Military Sci-Fi
5. Intersellar Gunrunner by by James Wolanyk
I really love anti-heroes, I know, how could anyone tell? However, I think Bodhi may be the worst of them all. An arms dealer who liberally sells to both sides during the various civil wars populating the galaxy, he’s also someone who tampers with forces beyond human comprehension with the casualness of a used car salesmen hocking lemons. I just found this book and its sequels consistently entertaining. It’s also a series with a definitive end.
Review – INTERSTELLAR GUNRUNNER by James Wolanyk
4.Against All Odds by Jeffrey H. Haskill
I love big heroic space opera stories about guys (or gals) who are on the political outs but rally their crew to pull off some miracle that gets them restored. In this respect, the Grimm’s War series is similar to Honor Harrington by David Weber’s On Basilisk Station. Jacob Grimm tried to heroically save the day during a mission and a bunch of children were killed as a result (what they were doing there in the first place never answered). However, he’s moved to a problem area with slavers and a corrupt local government that is just in need of his touch.
3. Columbus Day by Craig Alanson
The Expeditionary Force series is a drug that I just can’t quit. It’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of wise-cracking protagonists making constant pop culture references while coming up with ridiculous but effective plans. It’s a book series that I read pretty much straight through and with fifteen books as well as an audiobook drama, that’s impressive.
Review – The Last Hunter by J.N. Chaney and Terry Mixon
2. The Last Hunter by JN Chaney and Terry Mixon
I really enjoyed this book because it was remarkably low-stakes compared to the normal space opera I read. That changes in subsequent volumes but I loved how the story is essentially about military embezzlement. Jack Romanoff has been assigned to the last Hunter dreadnought, ships in service a century ago, that receive massive budgets every year to maintain. Except, someone has been siphoning off this one for decades. Wouldn’t you know that now would be a very good time to have a mile-long starship?
1. The Terran Privateer by Glynn Stewart
Glynn Stewart is another comfort food space opera for me. In this case, the Terran Privateer is about a young plucky heroine who is determined to liberate Earth from a conquering space empire. Except, well, the space empire isn’t that bad and the alternatives were far worse. It’s an interesting political thought experiment I very much enjoyed.
Top Ten Space Operas To Read for Adventure
Fantasy
5. The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison
I was a huge fan of The Goblin Emperor and very eager to see what else she might come up with in the same steampunk fantasy world. What I got was a fascinating noir detective story set in a fantasy world with a medium that just so happens to be gay. I really enjoyed the opera singer murders and all of the crooked blackmail as well as necromancy around it.
Review – The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison
4. Azure Bonds by Kate Novac and Jeff Grubbs
The Forgotten Realms are not quite as famous as it’s most famous resident in Drizzt Do’Urden but it has plenty of other heroes. My favorite of these is Alias, a beautiful redheaded swordswoman and her dinosaur man, companion, Dragonbait. It is a hilarious off-kilter fantasy story and I really enjoyed it from beginning to end.
3. Miskatonic Universe: Elder Gods 101 by Matt Davenport and Mike Davenport
I’m a huge fan of Matthew Davenport’s cheeky fun Andrew Doran novels. Basically, Indiana Jones versus Cthulhu cultists teamed up with Nazis. However, I think I prefer this book tremendously more. A group of college students at Miskatonic University are gathered together to prevent the apocalypse through the power of their plucky heroism! It’s a lot like Super Powereds by Drew Hayes but with a bunch of mythos jokes. Urban fantasy rather than horror and all the better for it.
Review – Miskatonic University: Elder Gods 101 by Matthew and Michael Davenport
2. The Cape is a Lie by MK Gibson
MK Gibson is someone I’m terribly biased toward as a fellow indie author. Confession, I love his books and he loves mine to the point he gave me a cameo appearance in Agents of Mortal (before I was arrested for Cthulhu worship). However, I think The Cape is a Lie is a great superhero novel parody. A social media influencer figures out that a lot of superhero fights are faked and wants to know how deep it goes.
Review – The Cape is a Lie: The Ballad of Kevin by M.K. Gibson
1. Legends and Lattes by Traviss Baldree
Possibly the biggest winner among indie novels for 2022, Legends and Lattes came at the right time and was just a fantastic book all round. An orc barbarian wants to open a coffee shop and slowly develops every single trick that modern ones has. It has a Discworld sensibility but less cynical (as well as humorous but that’s not what this book is about). I loved it and so does everyone else I know who has read it.
Review – Legends – Lattes by Travis Baldree
Cyberpunk5. Auxillary: London 2039 by Jon Richter
A detective novel in the age of public surveillance and an AI that manages everything for the police. I really enjoyed this one because it got surprisingly dark and the author is primarily a detective novelist and thriller who just so happens to have written a cyberpunk novel. It’s also interesting to see a Chandler-esque story from across the pond. The ending is easily the best part and genuinely shocking.
Review – The Auxiliary: London 2039 by Jon Richter
4. The Big Sheep by Robert Kroese
A delightful cyberpunk parody of detective fiction. In the future of LA where a good chunk of the city has been walled off and left to its own devices, two private detectives are hired by a genetics corporation to recover a missing genetically engineered sheep. They’re also hired to protect the star of a popular TV show who thinks she’s going crazy with missing time as well as people spotting her in multiple places. Yes, the foreshadowing is thick here but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a fantastic ride. I loved the crypto-currency themed sequel, The Last Iota, too.
Review – THE BIG SHEEP by Robert Kroese
3. The Blueprint by Wesley Cross
What if Tom Clancy wrote cyberpunk? Combining a technothriller with a cyberpunk novel is an interesting premise as this shows the downfall of a modern democratic state into becoming a megacorp dominated cyberpunk one. It’s interesting because our heroes really do want to save democracy, Jack Ryan, style but in the end only end up creating their own megacorp. That’s not a spoiler but the premise. Some of it is silly but I really liked this one.
Review – The Blueprint by Wesley Cross
2. Tronik by Rosie Record
California is walled off from the rest of the country and while I question the logistics of that, I absolutely love Fiona Tronick as a character. A spy for the police while keeping all of the punk attitude in public, she is torn by her own hypocrisy and the fact she hates the system but is caught up in it. This is some gritty well-designed cyberpunk and I absolutely loved it.
1. Nephilim: A Behind Blue Eyes Origin Story by Anna Mocikat
I’m a huge fan of Anna Mocikat’s indie cyberpunk series, Behind Blue Eyes, and was interested when she decided to start releasing novellas detailing elements of the series past. Having read the collected version all at once, I actually think it works really well as a horrifying dystopian novel. A young girl has her family killed and is forced into a training school for cyborgs ala Black Widow’s Red Room. It deals with a lot of horrifying adult topics of violence, politics, and sexuality but in a mature well-written way. We follow her to adulthood, knowing she’s going to become another cog in the fascist corporate machine.
NEPHILIM: A BEHIND BLUE EYES ORIGINS STORY volumes I through III by Anna Mocikat
Special Award: Best Superhero NovelI’ve already given twenty novels but it’s my list so I can add one more.
The Vilification of Aqua Marine by Megan Mackie
I only read two superhero novels this year but loved both of them. The Vilification of Aqua Marine is the story of a young woman who is the daughter of a Catwoman-esque villain who has a really, really crappy power of water manipulation (as in a cup’s worth). After discovering that she can use it to kill people and nearly doing so, she decides to retire as she’d rather be nothing than a supervillain. Unfortunately, her dancing archnemesis who seems to want to date her and mother refuse to leave matters be. Lots and lots of fun.
Five Kindle Unlimited Recommendations for August
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December 30, 2022
Dan Fitzgerald – BWG TEAM FAVORITE READS OF 2022!!!
Romantasy dominated my year of reading, surprising exactly no one, though one non-fantasy romance snuck onto my list. Here are my top 5 books of 2022, in no particular order, with snippets from my reviews. Treat yourself to one of these books in 2023—or better yet, all of them!
5.Fortune’s Fool by Angela Boord
“Warring silk merchants…a one-armed heroine…mysterious magic…and a slow-burn romance for the ages.”
Buy from Amazon
4.A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows
“A stunning romantic fantasy that delivers a knockout emotional punch along with some of the best queernormative worldbuilding I’ve ever seen.”
Buy from Amazon
3.Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent
“Daughter of No Worlds should be considered a classic of modern fantasy, and it’s a must-read for fans of slow-burn romance as well. Forget your TBR. Your next read has arrived.”
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2.Rescued by the Married Monster Hunters by Ennis Rook Bashe
“This is a special little book. Not a perfect one, nor a grandiose one, but I highly recommend it for readers who like queer fantasy romance with a little light monsterfucking (and even more monstercuddling) and some great hurt/comfort vibes.”
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1.Acoustics by London Price
“The romance was sweet, but the sex scenes were hot, though not as blistering as some of the M/M romances I have read. There was an emotional depth to those scenes that I especially enjoyed, beyond the excellently titillating spiciness, with just the right amount of space between scenes to keep you thirsty but not so much that you suffer irreversible dehydration.”
Buy from Amazon
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P.L. Stuart – BWG TEAM FAVORITE READS OF 2022!!!
Top Traditionally Published Novels
5.To Ride Hell's Chasm - Janny Wurts
Having a favourite, of course, is all about personal taste. My rationale for Wurts becoming my favourite, is that all of the other writers I have mentioned are incredible storytellers, can create unforgettable characters, have outstanding prose, and a distinctive writing style. The difference for me with Wurts is that she is at least the equal of all those other great writers in all those categories (yet she is the most under-appreciated, in my estimation), save for the prose. In the aspect of prose, no other writer I have ever read writes in a manner that forces you, as the reader, to read EVERY word. It is simply the most lush, most COMPLETE prose one can find anywhere in fantasy, perhaps in literature. I would also submit that Wurts brings the additional skill of being a world-class illustrator of her own books, to the equation. The pictures of the characters on my beautiful copy of To Ride Hell’s Chasm, truly bring those characters to life. “To Ride Hell’s Chasm” is to-date my favourite standalone fantasy book and, while I never say never, I don’t believe anything is ever going to come close.
Buy from Amazon
4.Against All Gods - Miles Cameron
In typical Cameron fashion, the battles are bloody, thrilling, and some of the best fantasy has to offer. There are only a handful of writers who can write combat like Cameron (an expert on ancient warfare and weapons, and a reenactor). He is simply one of the best at it, anywhere. Your heart will beat faster with every sword stroke, or blast of magic, as you wring your hands over the fate of your favourite characters, and are stupified by the level of realism Cameron brings to a fight scene. The author makes you hear, see and FEEL it all, and transport you into the heat of the desperate struggle for life and death. Phenomenal. This fantasy book is epic, really witty, dark, violent, and glorious. Every time I think I have my “best books of the year” list sorted, here comes a book like “Against All Gods” to throw a wrench in my well-made plans. Cameron is at the top of his game here: highly, highly recommended. Go get it!
Buy from Amazon
3.Warhost of Vastmark - Janny Wurts
There is more than enough outstanding prose, breathtaking worldbuilding, captivating themes, and masterclass storytelling and plot for me to be able to focus on the glory of the book itself, as opposed to the need to understand everything all at once.
Wurts is one of the most distinguished fantasy writers of her generation. When one mentions the iconic writers and series of all time, such as the Erikcson’s and “Malazan”, the Martin’s and “A Song of Ice and Fire”, the Jordan’s and “Wheel of Time”, we need to be mentioning Wurts and “Wars of Light and Shadow” in the same breath. While this does happen in many reading circles, I do not believe it happens nearly enough. I already have the next book, “Fugitive Prince” on my shelf, and will be counting the days until I can re-immerse myself in the world of Light and Shadow.
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2.Lady Hotspur - Tess Gratton
I am voracious for every word that Gratton pens, because she writes in such a lovely, detailed, lyrical style that is more than worthy of the legacy of Shakespeare. But Gratton’s book is no mere copy of the Bard. In creating a masterpiece of her own, with #OwnVoices, injecting magic, unique characters, and gender inversion based on the writing of the icon that is Shakespeare, Gratton once more weaves her spell around the reader, drawing us into her world of prophecy, divided loyalties, and destiny.
With evocative, edgy prose, engaging drama, and overall a dreamy feel to her books, Gratton has me hooked, and I will surely be coming back for more. Five plus stars for “Lady Hotspur”!
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1.Ships of Merior - Janny Wurts
Only two books in, as a reader, I am aware (intuitively, from what long-time readers, and from what the author herself notes about it) that I truly don’t know so much of what is REALLY going on yet in this series. There is a lot more to “The War of Light and Shadow” than immediately meets the eye, or that one can discern this early on in the series. But as my eyes are slowly opened, the scope of what Wurts has accomplished becomes more and more startling and magnificent. Yet, as the veil is being pulled back, novel by novel, in an eleven-book saga, I am more determined than ever to focus on enjoying the ride, and being content to have all things revealed to me, in good time, rather than trying to solve all the mysteries at once. I suggest if you read this book, to consider doing the same, to enhance the pleasure of your reading experience.
The combination of the lusciousness of Wurts’ writing, the enormity of the depth and breadth of the worldbuilding, the immaculately drawn characters, and the poignancy of the themes make the Wars of Light and Shadow series like nothing else I have ever read, and the books that I will no doubt return to time and time again to re-read them, for pure reading joy.
I will read every single book that Wurts has ever written or will write in the future. Simply put, she is my favourite author of all-time. That is on a list of my favourite authors that includes such luminaries as Jemisin, Gwynne, Tolkien, Abercrombie, Lawrence, Cameron, Cornwell, and T.H. White.
I am enriched as a reader for experiencing “The Ships of Merior”, and will be counting the days until I can read the next installment, “Warhost of Vastmark”.
Buy from Amazon
Top Independently Published Novels
5.Illborn by Daniel T. Jackson
Daniel T. Jackson’s debut novel is a chonker, but it needs to be. Illborn is vast in scope, its four main protagonists separated by status, geography, religion and culture, but yet all share the same vision. This shared vision leads to an emergence of supernatural powers in them, each unique to them that takes them on a journey of discovery. This book took me on a journey and a half. It’s 700+ pages whizzed by as Jackson immediately shows his skill at pacing, story and dialogue. The world these characters live in is brutal and harsh, the characters themselves live in the moral grey, sometimes making decisions that I really didn’t like. But Jackson made me care for these characters even in times when I disagreed with them. He is a master at chapter endings, the impulse to read just one more, becomes ever stronger. Oh and that prologue? One of the best I have ever read. The sequel to Illborn, Aideul’s Sin, is due out early next year, so expect a review at some point.
Buy from Amazon
4.Beyond Redemption - Michael R. Fletcher
Yes, there is nihilism, and yes, this book is bloody dark beyond belief! But the book does not wholly abnegate all sense of humanity. There is a tenderness and warmth to some of the interactions between the characters in some of the quiet moments (in the midst of utter chaos) that will really strike a chord, and indicates that perhaps the author indeed believes there is some hope of redemption for characters deemed otherwise not worth saving. “Beyond Redemption” is the one of the best books of what I consider grimdark books, and one of the pioneering books in the sub-genre.
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3.Tangle of Choices - Eve Koguce
“Tangle of Choices” is beautifully written, full of heartfelt moments, temptation, passion, intrigue, unrequited love, and tension. Tauria courageously faces danger, uncertainty, and desperation in a hostile environment that pushes her considerable reserves of intelligence, compassion, and diplomacy to the brink. Meanwhile those who care for her – Doron, Duxe, Dayah, Byrne, Alfred, Abelia, Mirana, and more – struggle with their own interpersonal challenges, while distraught over Tauria’s safety, and determined to rescue her.
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2.Why Odin Drinks - Bjorn Larssen
When I think of “Why Odin Drinks”, I can only think of the words “hilarious” and brilliant”. When I think of Bjørn Larssen, I can only think of the word “genius”. Somewhere, I believe, the esteemed Terry Pratchett, is smiling and nodding with approval at Larssen, who appears to be on a path to inheriting Pratchett’s throne as the best fantasy satirist to-date.
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1.The Hand That Casts the Bone - H.L. Tinsley
As I said in my review of “We Men of Ash and Shadow”, Vanguard should ultimately go down as one of Grimdark fiction’s great protagonists, right up there with Jorg Ancarth and Sand an Glokta. There are heaps of dirt and foulness on the surface of the man, but underneath there’s plenty of shine, and the complexity of the character is only becoming more fascinating, as more reveals about him come out as the series moves forward. After reading “We Men of Ash and Shadow” I stated Tinsley had established herself, very quickly out of the gate, as grimdark royalty. “The Hand That Casts the Bone” only solidifies this position, for me, and I don’t see Tinsley surrendering her crown anytime soon.
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December 29, 2022
Luke Winch – BWG Team Favorite Reads of 2022!!!
Greetings readers! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all who celebrate it and I hope you have all had a restful holiday break.
2022 has been an incredible year of reading for me. I shall be writing a year review blog sometime this week for release on the 30th, but its safe to say, I have had the most rewarding year in terms of being involved in the fantasy and sci-fi community, making so many new friends with authors and bloggers and being an active reader of self-published books. I have read so many incredible fantasy and sci-fi books this year and to try and distil them all into a top five as been notoriously difficult.
Before I do my top 5 countdown I need to have some honorary mentions that pained me to leave out, but of course, there is only room for 5 books…
My first honorary mention is The Skin and The Pact by J. E. Hannaford. This is a duology that every fantasy reader should have on their TBR. Set in a distant future, when the rising sea levels have radically transformed the Earth, filled with fascinating folklore and creatures such as selkies, sirens and sprites, it is an enchanting and moving story of found family, love and adventure. Hannaford’s prose is gorgeous and I loved the way she made me feel as though I was on board the Barge experiencing the adventure alongside Selkie, Zora, Sal, Eden, Cor and Theo. The author imbues the story with a love of the ocean and companionship. I fell in love with the characters and it was bittersweet saying goodbye.
My second honorary mention is Burn Red Skies by Kerstin Espinosa Rosero. With a fascinating take on dragons, a world brimming with incredible locations and lore and a group of characters who linger in my mind, Burn Red Skies is superb. Kerstin’s prose is vibrant and fluid and her dialogue snaps write off the page. Her ability to immerse you, not only the world, but in the mind of our protagonist, Dove, is second to none. Dove is one of the most unique characters I have come across in fantasy literature and it was pure joy to get to know her.
And now, let us countdown my top 5 sci-fi and fantasy reads of 2022…
5.A Drowned Kingdom by P. L. Stuart
I had not read a fantasy book like this before. Stuart’s unique and poetic prose swept me away to a world now lost to the sea. Transporting us to an ancient world of legendary cities consumed by the ocean, to pagan beliefs clashing with monotheistic religion, to fallen princes leading a lost people, to a world of the displaced, the homeless and the spiritually hurt, A Drowned Kingdom is an immersive reading experience like no other.
The first person perspective and framed narrative is perfect to make you believe this is a lost history to us. Much like Tolkien did with Middle Earth, Stuart gave me that same feeling, that same immersion. It is a profoundly introspective and personal book. Character is number one and his skill at feeding the reader our narrators inner turmoil is brilliant. If you want a totally different fantasy reading experience, look no further than A Drowned Kingdom. The saga continues with The Last of the Atalanteans.
Buy from Amazon
4.The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
I had not read a fantasy book like this before. Stuart’s unique and poetic prose swept me away to a world now lost to the sea. Transporting us to an ancient world of legendary cities consumed by the ocean, to pagan beliefs clashing with monotheistic religion, to fallen princes leading a lost people, to a world of the displaced, the homeless and the spiritually hurt, A Drowned Kingdom is an immersive reading experience like no other.
The first person perspective and framed narrative is perfect to make you believe this is a lost history to us. Much like Tolkien did with Middle Earth, Stuart gave me that same feeling, that same immersion. It is a profoundly introspective and personal book. Character is number one and his skill at feeding the reader our narrators inner turmoil is brilliant. If you want a totally different fantasy reading experience, look no further than A Drowned Kingdom. The saga continues with The Last of the Atalanteans.
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3.Illborn by Daniel T. Jackson
Daniel T. Jackson’s debut novel is a chonker, but it needs to be. Illborn is vast in scope, its four main protagonists separated by status, geography, religion and culture, but yet all share the same vision. This shared vision leads to an emergence of supernatural powers in them, each unique to them that takes them on a journey of discovery. This book took me on a journey and a half. It’s 700+ pages whizzed by as Jackson immediately shows his skill at pacing, story and dialogue. The world these characters live in is brutal and harsh, the characters themselves live in the moral grey, sometimes making decisions that I really didn’t like. But Jackson made me care for these characters even in times when I disagreed with them. He is a master at chapter endings, the impulse to read just one more, becomes ever stronger. Oh and that prologue? One of the best I have ever read. The sequel to Illborn, Aideul’s Sin, is due out early next year, so expect a review at some point.
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2.Empire Of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio
The only science fiction book to make it into my top 5, but rightly so. This towered over all my sci-fi reads this year, by a good mile.
At 600 pages it had perfect pacing. Not a single glimpse of sagging and even in the quieter more introspective moments, and there are plenty, the pacing never let up. And the prose? Some of the most beautiful, poetic and philosophical prose I have read in a very long time. Ruocchio writes in first person from our main protagonist, Hadrian’s, perspective and his voice is strong throughout. From the outset we know how his story ends, and the story is about how he gets there, how he has to fight his own legend, to us, the readers, is a fascinating and immersive read. I really am excited to revisit Hadrian’s story next year.
So, my number one read of 2023 is…
*drumroll*
1.The Sword of Kaigen by M. L. Wang
No other book this year has emotionally ruined me more than this masterpiece. Yes, I said masterpiece and I am standing by it. M. L. Wang will take your heart, rip it out and stamp on it repeatedly before setting it on fire. This book made me angry, it made me happy, it made me cry and it made me sob like a baby. A really ugly baby.
Set in an alternate world, not unlike feudal Japan, The Sword Of Kaigen follows the Matsuda family, leaders of a warrior clan of the mountain village, Takayubi. The distant rumours of war invades their doorstep and what follows is a profound, deeply moving and heart rending meditation on family, war, grief and pain. Feminism, social status, propriety, love, loyalty, rage, the effects of war, age old tradition and modernity are all intricately explored in detail and expertly embedded in the narrative. By the end of the book I felt I knew these characters on such a deep level and dearly wanted to know the rest of their stories. With a brilliant scientific approach to the magic system, using Samurai culture as a base for exquisite world-building and weaving a tapestry of characters that will never leave me, Wang has created, probably, my favourite fantasy book of all time…
for now.
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There you have it folks, my top 5 books of 2022. It was really, REALLY hard to leave out books that I dearly loved and, to be honest, I haven’t read any books this year that were below 4/5 stars, so its been a brilliant year. Also, my top 5 books were 60% self-published and I am over the moon about that.
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December 28, 2022
Review – SHADOWS OF IVORY by T.L. Greylock & Bryce O’Connor
In the backdrop of a Renaissance-Italy inspired world, the women of two opposing noble houses employ archaeology to find powerful, dangerous artifacts.
One woman is a formidable magic user. The other relies on her considerable political connections and influence through her mother to achieve her ends. High stakes adventure ensues, ancient secrets are revealed, and both women discover their quest may be much more than they initially bargained for.
So begins “Shadows of Ivory”, Book One of “The Godforged Chronicles”, by T.L. Greylock and Bryce O’Connor. This book received a lot of acclaim as a finalist entry in the 2022 Self Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO 7).
First, I must point out that the cover of the novel is somewhat deceiving, in my opinion, of the book that I read. Based on the fearsome cover art, I was expecting to be immediately thrown into a world of dark sorcery, mayhem, quickly confronting demons, sorcerers, undead creatures, etc.
Not exactly. Instead, I read a book about largely enterprising archaeologists, court intrigue, romance, and complex family and interpersonal dynamics. Not exactly, but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the novel whatsoever.
This is definitely a character-driven book, and that’s just what I love.
Main characters Eska de Caraval and Manon Barca both come from money, and are noble born. However Barca’s house has fallen on hard times, while de Caraval’s house blooms at the height of its power. Barca’s magical abilities make her a source of distrust. A failed assassination attempt on de Caraval points toward Barca as the culprit, and it lands her and her brother in prison.
Meanwhile de Caraval navigates the courts of the aristocracy’s most influential elites, all the while single-mindedly focused on pushing her scientific research. Except for the distraction of lingering mutual feelings with a former lover, a suave and powerful military man, the clever and resourceful de Caraval lets nothing stand in her way, as she’s poised to take the reins of her family’s treasure hunting and shipping empire, and uncover ancient relics that will only enhance her riches.
The broken Barca, a ‘Carrier’ (magic-user) must resort to desperate means to restore her family’s fortune, earn her freedom, including selling her magical abilities. But the determined Barca, an experienced mercenary archaeologist, will not rest until she’s redeemed her family’s glory, and has no intention of letting de Caraval get in the way.
Both women covet bronze discs, secured inside containers belonging to a long-dead line of monarchs. Their mission to recover these discs will bring their rivalry down interesting and surprising paths.
While the secondary characters – especially for me the scholar Albus, who also has a POV in the narrative – were excellent, the two primary players truly dominated the action, and were exceptionally well-written. I preferred Barca, of course, because I love my more morally uncertain, flawed, even damaged characters, and the drug-addicted, downtrodden, mercurial, but fierce and ultimately caring Barca was definitely my speed.
De Caraval is more invulnerable (except when it comes to her romantic interest), more utterly confident and self-assured. Still, she is fascinating, intellectual, and knows how to use her physical beauty, charm, poise, and impeccable family name to get what she wants. Yet she’s also a tireless worker, who’s more than willing, if required, to get her own hands dirty to attain her goals, rather than only let her subordinates do all the difficult work, despite her aristocratic upbringing.
The worldbuilding is fantastic, very immersive, in “Shadows of Ivory”. Tons of history, involving feudal nation-states, puissant nobles and panderers, tense political opposition, grand courts of decadence, all of it incredibly well laid out. I loved the magic system in the book, where the ‘carriers’ meld elemental magic or use blood, or metallurgy, and the explanation of potential consequences of magic use, such as carrier fever.
The pace was great, and the action sequences, though infrequent, were explosive, and boy, that diving scene! Wow! Tense, gripping, and unputdownable.
Truly enjoyed the intelligent, smooth, subtle, and highly digestible prose in this book. There were some very elegant passages, and the dialogue was tight, terse, and kept the tension high, and the flow of the book moved along quite well.
The themes in “Shadows of Ivory”, such as addiction, revenge, retribution, shame, prejudice (especially against the carriers), elitism, love, found family, were all compelling.
What looks like the start of a highly intriguing series, “Shadows of Ivory” was well worth the read, and no doubt deserving of the accolades and hype that came with reaching the finals of SPFBO7!
Five stars!
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Review – The Two Doctors Górski by Isaac Fellman
The Two Doctors Górski by Isaac Fellman is an introspective masterpiece of low fantasy, exploring questions of identity, mental illness, and toxic relationships in higher education.
The main character, Annae Hofstader, is a 27-year-old Ph.D. student who escapes an abusive relationship with her thesis advisor at the University of California by transferring to Brandford University in England. As the only female graduate student in her program, Annae feels self-conscious and isolated.
Annae’s field of study is magic, which is viewed as both a science and an art. While her peers focus primarily on botanical applications of magic, Annae hopes to use her magical skills to cure mental illness. To aid in this endeavor, Annae has acquired the ability to enter the consciousness of other people, reading their innermost thoughts. Although she seeks to help others, she often finds herself slipping into nearby minds to escape her own troubles and insecurities.
Annae’s new advisor at Brandford University, Dr. Marec Górski, is highly accomplished in the magical arts, but also heartless and temperamental. Marec’s cruelty runs deep. Wishing to free himself from guilt over his offensive treatment of others, Marec uses his magical skills to excise the benevolent aspects of his personality, creating another Dr. Górski in the form of a homunculus named Ariel. While Marec is a university professor specializing in magic, Ariel becomes a psychologist. With her own research, Annae wishes to span both these fields represented by the two Doctors Górski, using magic-enhanced psychological manipulation to heal mental sickness.
Annae is a complex, multilayered character with a genuine desire to help others. However, she doubts her own abilities and doesn’t want to face the ethical implications of entering other people’s minds—especially without their consent. As a result, her good intentions often result in perilous consequences.
The magic itself in The Two Doctors Górski is treated as just another ordinary field of study, subject to the same pressures as real-world academic research. I am impressed by how Isaac Fellman has interwoven this subtle form of magic throughout a realistic, modern-day academic setting.
The Two Doctors Górski is one of the best examples of dark academia that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. All too often, books labeled as “dark academia” fail to capture a realistic portrait of academic life, with students portrayed as overly self-confident, pretentious, and edgy. In The Two Doctors Górski, Isaac Fellman has captured a more authentic view of the struggles faced by graduate students.
Graduate advisors are in a position of almost unquestioned authority over their students, and unfortunately this authority can be abused. Fellman skillfully captures the psychological impact of such abuse, which ranges from everyday bullying to sexual exploitation.
The Two Doctors Górski also brilliantly addresses the issue of imposter syndrome. As the chair of my university’s graduate program with over 200 Ph.D. students, this is by far the most common issue that I have seen amongst our students. Imposter syndrome—the persistent doubting of one’s own abilities and feeling unworthy of one’s achievements or accolades—has become an almost universal feature of the graduate school experience, especially among female students. On the other side, Marec’s pompous attitude and callous treatment of students is, unfortunately, reflective of some faculty members with overinflated egos.
The Two Doctors Górski is a highly original work of fiction, unlike anything I’ve ever read. The closest comparison I can think of is The Double by Fyodor Dostoevsky, in which the main character encounters his doppelgänger who possesses all the charm and good social skills that he lacks. Dostoevsky’s theme of split identity is clearly mirrored by the title characters in The Two Doctors Górski but is also reflected in a more subtle way with Annae as she leaves her own consciousness to enter the minds of others. This theme is also apparent in the name Annae, which Marec dismisses as just being the plural of Anna.
The author went through his own struggles with identity during and after the writing of this novel, explaining, “I wrote this book before I came out as a trans man, and my own experiences of being seen this way—as someone not a woman, but presenting as one—heighten Górski’s sense of paranoia and dread.”
Isaac Fellman’s well-polished and lyrical prose creates a hauntingly atmospheric mood throughout The Two Doctors Górski. Annae’s ability to enter other people’s minds offers a clever narrative tool for the author to switch points of view amongst various characters. I was particularly moved by the scene in which Fellman gives a physical manifestation of the crippling anxiety experienced by Annae’s classmate, Torquil, and the hollowness that is left behind in the absence of his fears.
Isaac Fellman earns bonus points for his myriad of subtle allusions throughout the book. I particularly appreciate the reference to the indie rock pioneers Neutral Milk Hotel and their opus, “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea,” which serves as Annae’s ringtone and contains a lyric directly relevant to the story: “Anna’s ghost all around / Hear her voice as it’s rolling and ringing through me.”
The Two Doctors Górski is literary fantasy at its finest, a deeply contemplative and multilayered novel that explores the real psychological struggles of identity, imposter syndrome, and the trials of academic life.
The original review appeared here.
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December 27, 2022
Review – A Touch of Light by Thiago Abdalla
First of all, congrats to Abdalla for becoming a SPFBO8 finalist! Not an easy accomplishment and one well earned.
A Touch of Light has been on my TBR for what feels like ages now – before being entered in the SPFBO8 contest- and I’m very excited to be able to say I finally got to it. The world this story takes place is fascinating; religions that either demonize or embrace death, a plague that turns people into mindless killers, and warring political factions across many nations. Plus gigantic griffins with riders (always a plus).
You can tell that Abdalla put a lot of love into the development of Avarin and the powers that control it. For me, the worldbuilding really shines in the intersection of power between politics and religion. Anyone who know my reading tastes knows that I love when religion is discussed as a source of control within a society instead of just a belief system and that is done wonderfully here. Convincing the masses to sacrifice or kill for the good of a higher power is a core part of human history (and present) so it’s fascinating to see it unfold on the page.
However, the pacing of the plot and character arcs felt a bit off to me. The style of this book is to give the reader piecemeal bites of information through the characters eyes as they move throughout the world. This can be a very effective storytelling technique and I understand why Abdalla chose this route, but for me these pieces were too slow to move/fall into place. To the point where the plot felt repetitive at times; I mostly felt this with Nasha’s chapters. I certainly don’t need all of the information in the first installment of a series, but a bit more groundwork would have been helpful for my reading experience.
Unfortunately, another side-effect of this style was that the characters felt more like avatars for the plot rather than people I could connect to and grieve for (aside from Lynn who I cared for deeply). As a character-based reader, this did dull the emotional impact of some revelatory scenes, but if you are more plot-driven I don’t think this will be an issue at all.
Overall, I blew through this read every time I sat down with it as I wanted to know what happened next and found the world captivating to be in. I am very much interested in continuing with the series and seeing how all the political threads are woven together with the plot twists revealed in the next installment.
3.5 stars (rounded up for GR)
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Review: Falling Dark by Tom Lloyd
SynopsisIt’s the find of a lifetime – an ancient alien spaceship hanging in a forgotten corner of space. For Song this could change everything. She’s got as many problems with her finances as she does in her marriage, but maybe at last her passion for wreck-diving will pay off. One piece of unknown tech could set her whole crew up for life.
The ship conforms to nothing in their records and dwarfs the largest human vessels. Battle-scarred and old before humanity ever reached the stars, it’s a mausoleum of an unknown, long-dead species.
And it’s just winked at her.
Happy publication day to Falling Dark!! I was kindly sent an ARC by the author and this does not, of course, affect my review, which is spoiler free!
Hello again dear reader or listener, today I bring you two words: Space. Whale.
Otherwise known as the truly beautiful cover art for this sci-fi novella that caught my eye a few weeks back. Seriously, that’s one amazing piece of art, a huge congrats to Sarah Anne Langton!
Now then, what about what’s inside? In short: Tom Lloyd presents a tale full of suspense, ghosts of the past that may or may not be an enemy, space wreck diving, and a woman’s fight to make it out alive while battling what is possibly an unseen enemy. Throughout the whole read in fact, I kept thinking of the Alien movie tagline, “In space no one can hear you scream”, and I *loved* that piece of authenticity. You could say that silence itself becomes an enemy in this novella!
The cast of characters was varied enough while also fitting the gang of misfits trope and, by the end of it, I grew quite interested in all of them enough to want another few episodes with this team. Protagonist Captain Song shines the most of course and I found her a grounded and realistic character in her wants, fears, and reactions to the various events befalling her and her team. The occasional hysterical laughter in the face of adversity most of all, given how true to human resilience it is.
All that said, I’d also mention that this novella has two faces to it: a first half that is a slow burn built on the kind of suspense bred by total uncertainty and mystery, and the second half that is permeated with the suspense that comes from having almost all the answers but being on the edge of your seat in trepidation nonetheless, eager to see the outcome of it all.
Personally I struggled with that first half because, even though Lloyd creates an enthralling ambiance and eerie setting that is visually fascinating, I am not fond of present tense narration. I am glad I persevered though because the payoff was a lot of fun in the end, and I’m happy to have met the characters that I did. I can’t really elaborate on that sadly because this novella is the kind that I think works best when you haven’t seen behind the curtain and the smallest detail would give the trick away!
So, dear reader/listener, take my word for it if you would, and give this awesome novella a go, for an afternoon or evening full of intrigue, nostalgia for a past/culture long gone, and a short testament to human perseverance, stubbornness, and empathy.
Until next time,
Eleni A. E.
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