Marc Aplin's Blog, page 11

Bloodwoven by G.J. Terral – Review

It's a battle between his upbringing and indoctrination, against a truth that might be utterly different.

Empire of Ruin by David Green – Cover Reveal

Today the wonderful and awesome David Green joins us with a guest post, revealing the fresh covers for his Empire of Ruin series! So without further ado, I shall give over the pen, uhm keyboard… Back in 2020, I wrote a book called In Solitude’s Shadow for a publisher after seeing a call for ‘dark […]

Hessians and Hellhounds by Tilly Wallace – Review

If Jane Austen meets paranormal murder mysteries, with a serious super slow burn romance, that's actually just a side plot and doesn't take over sounds good to you, this is it!

SPFBO Finalist Review: Mushroom Blues by Adrian M. Gibson

My first review of this year’s SPFBO finalists is for a detective story that might be fantasy, might be science fiction, or might be something else entirely. What it is, though, undoubtedly is a well-written noir story in an original setting.

Blood Brothers Beyond by Rob J. Hayes – Review

As it happens the examination of the past provides as many twists as the winding hazardous trail of the present. Ichiro has to come to terms not just with his decision to abandon their partnership, but with the truths that were hidden from him, or perhaps he was just blind to. The twin strands of understanding the past and surviving the present are braided together well.

Best off SFF published in 2024 – According to our members!

Each year we ask the members of our Facebook Group (currently 186500 of them!) what their favoruite books published over thr course of the year were.

Hell in Haven (Omnibus of the Holleran Files) by David Green – Review

If you like fast paced urban fantasy, without a focus on romance, instead all about friendships and (found) family as well as plenty of action, banter and intrigue, you have to read these!

Missing Pages by Mark Lawrence – Review

Even works of brass and steel fell to pieces in time. Flesh followed that path more swiftly. Not only did their task seem hopeless, but she could think of no candidate for life everlasting less deserving than Oanold whose only qualification seemed to be that a single lifetime was insufficient for him to fully exercise the greed that defined him.

Beyond Sundered Seas by David Green – Review

My favourite bit of the book is the back and forth in my own mind, about who I actually want to see win, or not. Because some of the "heroes" go the wrong way, while some of the villains might not be so bad after all. Or are they? They are written in a way to allow the reader to step into their shoes, and understand their motivations, even if they don't agree with them.

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang – Review

The main themes are not just a gripping new world with lots of magic and a university, but also misogyny, colonialism, racism, exploitation, faith, guilt, injustice, and more.