T. Eric Bakutis (Author of Glyphbinder)

T. Bakutis rated a book it was amazing Poor Man's Fight (Poor Man's Fight, #1) by Elliott Kay (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Elliot Kay’s Poor Man’s Fight begins with a great hook: a group of interesting pirates led by an affable captain who offer a ship’s crew freedom from their crushing debt and a chance to join an egalitarian and supportive crew (which seems great) just ...more
Oct 01, 2018 09:32AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Poor Man's Fight by Elliott Kay. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Poor Man's Fight by Elliott Kay <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
T. Bakutis rated a book it was amazing Starswept (Starswept, #1) by Mary Fan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mary Fan’s Starswept begins by introducing us to an academy where students of the arts vie against each other for the attention of alien patrons in a Hunger Games-esque ultra-capitalist society, then shifts gears halfway through to unveil a terrifyin ...more
Oct 01, 2018 09:14AM · like · see review
T. Bakutis rated a book it was amazing Bloody Rose (The Band, #2) by Nicholas Eames (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
From the start to the end of this book I loved Tam so much. She's great. She's relatable and funny and brave and curious and also kind of a badass when she has to be. Bloody Rose is a gorgeous terror on the battlefield. Cura has tattoos that turn into ...more
Sep 14, 2018 03:34PM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
T. Bakutis rated a book it was amazing The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
After a decade traveling through lice-infested towns to evade magical demon cats, Edrin Walker, professional alcohol imbiber, loaded dice-roller, and self-proclaimed peoplemancer, knows three things. 1. He almost certainly killed a god ten years ago, ...more
Jun 21, 2018 04:02PM · 3 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
T. Bakutis rated a book it was amazing Dragon Road by Joseph Brassey (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Joseph Brassey’s first book, Skyfarer, is among my favorite debuts of the past few years (for me, it was like Final Fantasy XII in book form) and while I will recommend Skyfarer without reservation (seriously, if you haven’t read it, go read it!) you ...more
May 01, 2018 03:25PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dragon Road by Joseph Brassey. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dragon Road by Joseph Brassey <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
T. Bakutis rated a book it was amazing Servant of Rage (Bloodrage Trilogy #1) by A.Z. Anthony (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Full disclosure: I accepted an ARC from the author for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book for a number of reasons, but primarily because it combined a number of ideas from media I absolutely loved already. There's a bit of Avatar: The Last A ...more
Apr 04, 2018 10:27PM · 1 like · like · see review
T. Bakutis rated a book really liked it Swords and Scoundrels (Duelists Trilogy, #1) by Julia Knight (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I found this book an enjoyable read! This book has an unusual narrative structure – it frequently jumps from the advancing plot to “Interludes” that fill in the backstory of the characters, and reveal critical details that allow you to look at what y ...more
Sep 20, 2016 09:02AM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Swords and Scoundrels by Julia Knight. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Swords and Scoundrels by Julia Knight <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
T. Bakutis rated a book it was amazing The Copper Promise (The Copper Cat, #1) by Jen Williams (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I picked up The Copper Promise as part of Fantasy-Faction's monthly book club, and wasn't disappointed. Author Jen Williams channels the best elements of old school sword-and-sorcery pulp and modern videogames like Dragon Age into a page-turning stor ...more
Aug 01, 2016 09:54AM · 2 likes · like · see review
T. Bakutis rated a book it was amazing Hidden Fires by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Hidden Fires was my introduction to the world of Nuala, and I went into this book with no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the worldbuilding and political structures navigated by several interesting protagonists. The pr ...more
Nov 24, 2015 10:12AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hidden Fires by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hidden Fires by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
T. Bakutis rated a book really liked it Duilleog (A New Druids Series Book 1) by Donald D. Allan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In the world of Duilleog from Donald D Allan, the common people are dealing with the aftermath of a messy civil uprising. The prior king, who went mad and slaughtered his subjects, was deposed by his own soldiers, and there are now strong hints his r ...more
Jul 28, 2015 03:39PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Duilleog by Donald D. Allan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Duilleog by Donald D. Allan <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Poor Man's Fight (Poor Man's Fight, #1)
by Elliott Kay (Goodreads Author)

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Elliot Kay’s Poor Man’s Fight begins with a great hook: a group of interesting pirates led by an affable captain who offer a ship’s crew freedom from their crushing debt and a chance to join an egalitarian and supportive crew (which seems great) just Elliot Kay’s Poor Man’s Fight begins with a great hook: a group of interesting pirates led by an affable captain who offer a ship’s crew freedom from their crushing debt and a chance to join an egalitarian and supportive crew (which seems great) just before that same crew spaces and murders men, women, and children the pirates consider “elite.” (which is horrible). The pirate captain’s mixture of egalitarian generosity and cold-blooded murder initially seems like the actions of a madman, but as the book progresses and you learn more about the captain, allied crews of pirates, and their view of the elite and money dominated world where they live, their actions start to make a sick sort of sense. You may never agree with them, but you understand how they think, and the author’s note reveals that Kay, a student of history, was inspired by wanting to tell the true of story of historical pirates and their actions.

As fascinating as these glimpse into pirate thinking are, the meat of the book is in the initially unrelated story of Tanner Malone, a young man who never has any intention of joining his planet’s spaceborne navy until he is forced into it by his capitalistic society’s reliance on corporate-owned education facilities and the unbalanced mechanics intended to force him into crushing student load debt. Almost the first half of the book is devoted to Tanner’s training and experiences in his planet’s navy, and while much of it is very interesting, it feels very similar to all the military SF I’ve read before. However, the last third of the book brings all the training sequences and pirate philosophy together, and is the reason I ended up liking Poor Man’s Fight so much.

The pirates (and their affable captain) and Tanner (and his patrol ship) move unerringly closer until colliding in a high-stakes hostage situation on a luxury cruiser filled with innocent victims. Here, the extensive training segments we’ve experienced along with Tanner allow him to believably go full on Die Hard in space, and his high-stakes conflict with the pirate crew feels earned and plausible, completely justified by the training he’s endured and his background leading up to the encounter. The first two-thirds of the book are interesting, but the last third is a delight, and if you enjoy pulse-pounding ship boarding activities, hostage negotiation, and asymmetric engagements, this book delivers in force.

It’s a great read throughout and one I’d recommend to fans of realistic pirates, plausible spaceborne naval boarding actions, action movies, or military SF. ...more

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Starswept (Starswept, #1)
by Mary Fan (Goodreads Author)

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Mary Fan’s Starswept begins by introducing us to an academy where students of the arts vie against each other for the attention of alien patrons in a Hunger Games-esque ultra-capitalist society, then shifts gears halfway through to unveil a terrifyin ...more

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Bloody Rose (The Band, #2)
by Nicholas Eames (Goodreads Author)

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From the start to the end of this book I loved Tam so much. She's great. She's relatable and funny and brave and curious and also kind of a badass when she has to be.

Bloody Rose is a gorgeous terror on the battlefield. Cura has tattoos that turn into ...more

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The Traitor God
by Cameron Johnston (Goodreads Author)

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After a decade traveling through lice-infested towns to evade magical demon cats, Edrin Walker, professional alcohol imbiber, loaded dice-roller, and self-proclaimed peoplemancer, knows three things.

1. He almost certainly killed a god ten years ago, After a decade traveling through lice-infested towns to evade magical demon cats, Edrin Walker, professional alcohol imbiber, loaded dice-roller, and self-proclaimed peoplemancer, knows three things.

1. He almost certainly killed a god ten years ago, but doesn’t remember doing so.

2. So long as he never returns to Setharis, home of the magi order he abandoned after he killed said god, the only two people he loves will remain safe, and

3. He can enslave people’s minds with his magic, and if he’s not careful, using that power will turn him into an insane tyrant who will then enslave the world … which is why all the other magi want to kill him.

So on balance, Walker’s already having a fairly awful day when he telepathically experiences his best childhood friend being captured by some hooded bloodmage jerkbag, then immediately skinned alive.

With his “gift-bonded” brother Lynas murdered under revolting circumstances, Walker’s pact with whoever he can’t remember is off. He abandons his self-imposed exile to return to Setharis, the ancient city in which he once trained to be a magi. There, he plans to find the bloodmage jerkbag who murdered his best friend, burn him alive, and choke him with his own intestines, though maybe not in that order.

The only problem? Walker can’t remember why he went into exile, what happened to the mentor who went missing ten year ago, or where to start hunting for whoever murdered Lynas. Unraveling this mystery while trying not to get killed by people who are very unhappy with him is the core of The Traitor God. I enjoyed watching the book’s larger mystery unfold while author Cameron Johnston also unspooled the smaller mysteries of Walker’s past, friends, allies, and murderous telepathic dagger.

Despite the wonders of Setharis – towering golem war machines who slumber in the middle of the city, powerful magi who can bend the elements and flesh itself, and Setharis’s four remaining gods (you know, the gods Walker didn’t kill) – life in Walker’s world is not easy, even for magi. This is no idealized fantasy world, and life for the average sap living in the mass of slums beneath the magi’s glittering towers is just dreck. Johnston shows us very clearly what life was like before modern sanitation and antibiotics, and even with magic (which is reserved for the elite) his world felt grounded and believable.

As Walker tells us his story from a first-person narrative, he’s very clear that he’s not looking for justice. He’s looking for revenge, and as Walker is careful to remind us many times, he’s no hero, just a survivor. Yet despite his reasonable desire not to risk himself heroically defending Setharis against multi-dimensional monstrosities, Walker ends up doing just that anyway, at the core of a city-shaking battle against a horror that could have oozed right out of Akira if it wasn’t dead already. So that was cool.

By putting us inside Walker’s head and telling us his story, Johnston kept me interested in Walker’s quest for vengeance and understanding, and even made me like the bastard. As Johnston revealed more of Walker’s wretched childhood, his attempts to do actual good, and his many failures, Walker evolved from an interesting jerk focused on revenge to an understandably damaged man who constantly pushes down his own survival instincts to protect those he holds dear, fighting when he wants to run. While the ability to turn anyone into a mindless thrall seems like a useful gift, overusing that power will turn Walker into a mindless thrall of magic itself, and seeing his struggle to not take over the world was very interesting.

Though Walker is the only POV character in the book, there are a number of colorful and interesting characters throughout. Walker’s best friend, Charra, is a dangerous and loyal ally who constantly gives Walker good-natured grief about everything, and Eva, the mage knight Walker flirts with despite the fact that she’d certainly kill him if she learned who he was, is an absolute terror in a fight. Other favorite characters included Charra’s rather deadly daughter, Layla, and Shadea, an utterly implacable badass.

In a satisfying conclusion, Johnston wraps up the mysteries his first book introduced while teasing a few more, and by the end of the multi-chapter final battle (no cliffhangers here!) I felt a bit out of breath. Though the big bad threat is halted (for now) the battle still left an absurdly huge pile of bodies in the streets, and obvious hints that a larger conflict looms on the horizon. I’m certain we haven’t seen the last of Edrin Walker, the magic weapons buried beneath Setharis, or the forces behind the defeated attackers, and I’m looking forward to seeing who and what Walker kicks in the balls in the sequel.

If you enjoy clever gray characters, gritty but interesting worlds, and creepy magic, this book is for you. ...more

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Dragon Road
by Joseph Brassey (Goodreads Author)

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Joseph Brassey’s first book, Skyfarer, is among my favorite debuts of the past few years (for me, it was like Final Fantasy XII in book form) and while I will recommend Skyfarer without reservation (seriously, if you haven’t read it, go read it!) you ...more

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Servant of Rage (Bloodrage Trilogy #1)
by A.Z. Anthony (Goodreads Author)

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Full disclosure: I accepted an ARC from the author for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book for a number of reasons, but primarily because it combined a number of ideas from media I absolutely loved already. There's a bit of Avatar: The Last A ...more

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Swords and Scoundrels (Duelists Trilogy, #1)
by Julia Knight (Goodreads Author)

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I found this book an enjoyable read! This book has an unusual narrative structure – it frequently jumps from the advancing plot to “Interludes” that fill in the backstory of the characters, and reveal critical details that allow you to look at what y I found this book an enjoyable read! This book has an unusual narrative structure – it frequently jumps from the advancing plot to “Interludes” that fill in the backstory of the characters, and reveal critical details that allow you to look at what you’ve read “in the present” differently. his threw me a bit the first time it happened, but I did end up liking how we would see the origins or reasons characters had done things earlier, and then working back from the earlier revelation to connect the dots.

The book also speeds up dramatically in the second half. The first half was a slow burn, with the protagonists unsure of how they were being manipulated, and lots of intrigue that seemed to be going in many different directions. However, the last 40% or so just had a breakneck pace I really enjoyed, with a generous amount of fighting, narrow escapes, and payoff for the setup earlier in the story.

From a setting standpoint, the idea of a clockwork city was awesome, and scenes where people narrowly escaped through moving gears and waterworks were my favorite. I also loved all the little throwaway bits about how the city worked - that people would orient themselves by the Shrive and King's House (the only ones that never moved, except for the Guild), how there were defenses that just fired off randomly, and people learned to get around them, and the clockwork duelist in the guild.

On the subjectively negative side, one of my few complaints is that the book spends a lot of time describing the world, providing us with the history of the world, the inner monologue of the characters, and, in general, a rather large amount of description. Readers who enjoy elegantly described worlds will absolutely enjoy this … however, I’m more of a “get to the action!” type reader, and I found myself skimming some of the longer worldbuilding segments to get back to the story, because it wasn’t necessarily moving the plot forward. Your own experience will likely depend on your taste in books.

My only other big complaint is that, as a “big picture” person, when there are conspiracies afoot, I like to be in the loop. I want to see the manipulators moving the pieces around on the board and have at least some idea what they’re attempting to do. There were at least four different competing conspiracies going on in this book, and my problem is that, for whatever reason, I had difficulty following them.

Like Kacha and Vocho (who are absolutely at the “ground level” of several conspiracies, being manipulated by all sides) I wasn’t sure what the goals of the various conspirators were, or why they were taking the actions they did. I would have enjoyed the book more if I understood what everyone was trying to do, because then I’d have a better idea of the stakes. I found it hard to tell who was close to accomplishing their goal and sometimes, even what their goals were, just like the siblings.

However, I really enjoyed the characters. As brother and sister, Kacha and Vocho’s feelings about other (the simultaneous love, loyalty, and resentment we often have with our siblings) felt real. Supporting characters like Dom grabbed my interest from the start, and Dom remained perhaps my favorite character in the book. Even Eneko (essentially the antagonist) did things for perfectly understandable reasons. With perhaps one or two exceptions, the vast majority of the characters could have been the “hero” of their own novel, if it was written from their perspective, and I love books where everyone thinks they are doing the right thing, yet circumstances bring them in constant conflict with each other.

Finally, the action itself is top notch, especially the fighting and fencing. The descriptions were short, punchy, and got the action across in ways that made it easy to visualize what was going on. Pretty much every time there was some fencing action, I was really enjoying myself.

Overall, this is a fun, well-written book that I enjoyed, and I look forward to checking out the rest of the series. ...more

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The Copper Promise (The Copper Cat, #1)
by Jen Williams (Goodreads Author)

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I picked up The Copper Promise as part of Fantasy-Faction's monthly book club, and wasn't disappointed. Author Jen Williams channels the best elements of old school sword-and-sorcery pulp and modern videogames like Dragon Age into a page-turning stor I picked up The Copper Promise as part of Fantasy-Faction's monthly book club, and wasn't disappointed. Author Jen Williams channels the best elements of old school sword-and-sorcery pulp and modern videogames like Dragon Age into a page-turning story with competent protagonists who, despite their best efforts, often end up being their own worst enemies. Far from being noble heroes setting out to save the world, Wydrin, Sebastian, and Lord Aaron Frith all have very grounded, believable motivations guiding their paths. Saving the land from a monstrous country-incinerating dragon is about the *last* thing any of them want to do, which makes it all the more enjoyable when the consequences of their actions force them down that path.

By the time the final battle takes place, the protagonists have all completed journeys that have naturally led them to where they are at the end of the book, with strong reasons to risk their lives for each other and for the world at large. Wydrin (the self-titled "Copper Cat") is a great protagonist who relies on her fighting skills and level head to handle situations that would get other people killed, and her victories, defeats, and narrow escapes feel plausible and earned. Sebastian, the noble knight exiled from his order for close-minded reasons, remains a consistent moral compass for Wydrin and his allies even as the compromises he makes in hopes of doing "the right thing" take him to darker and darker places. And Frith, whose primary motivation is almost entirely revenge, soon finds that it takes more than hatred of the people who destroyed his family and his life to drive him forward. This is character-driven fantasy, and it's really fun to read.

My nits are largely related to Williams possibly trying to take on too much story over the length of the four parts. There was one case where I felt a truly character-changing decision was reversed a bit too easily, and a few plot elements that I felt might have been brought more to the forefront. These are minor issues, and the story is so enjoyable that I honestly didn't care. I do hope to see those issues and plot elements tackled in more detail in later books in the series.

The Copper Promise is a fun, fast-paced, enjoyable book for any fantasy fan, and I look forward to continuing with the series. ...more

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Hidden Fires
by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel (Goodreads Author)

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Hidden Fires was my introduction to the world of Nuala, and I went into this book with no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the worldbuilding and political structures navigated by several interesting protagonists. The pr ...more

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Duilleog (A New Druids Series Book 1)
by Donald D. Allan (Goodreads Author)

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In the world of Duilleog from Donald D Allan, the common people are dealing with the aftermath of a messy civil uprising. The prior king, who went mad and slaughtered his subjects, was deposed by his own soldiers, and there are now strong hints his r In the world of Duilleog from Donald D Allan, the common people are dealing with the aftermath of a messy civil uprising. The prior king, who went mad and slaughtered his subjects, was deposed by his own soldiers, and there are now strong hints his replacement, the Lord Protector, is just as corrupt and violent. In addition, a now severely weakened church seeks to regain the power it lost in the uprising and regain the worshipers it lost.

Our protagonist, a young healer named Will, is living on the edge of settled society, safely unaware of these conflicts. All he wants to do is live with nature, collecting herbs and making trips to a local town from time to time. A wanderer at heart, he only stays in town long enough to re-provision as needed and help people with their ills.

One night, Will is taken hostage by a dangerous assassin and only survives when the local Reeve (essentially, the town sheriff) rescues him. An unexpected discovery in the dead assassin's boots puts Will on a dangerous road to discover the origins of his otherworldly connection with nature and his gift with herbs. For the first half of the book (written from Will's first person POV) we join him on that journey.

The second half of the book shifts us into multiple third-person POVs within the government, revealing a simmering theological conflict between the Word (practical uses of magic and science) and the Church (adherence to unquestioned rules and culling of any magic or people deemed unholy). We see various leaders within the military, church, and monarchy as they scheme to increase their power, and this helps us understand some of the mysteries presented earlier during Will's journey.

I found Allan's presentation of druidic magic fascinating and enjoyed learning, along with Will, how his powers work. The mundane world is richly detailed and it was obvious Allan did his research about how early cultures worked and lived. Finally, I enjoyed the reveals later in the book that answer some of the questions about how Will ended up living alone.

There are areas where I feel the author could improve. Although Allan's prose is well-written, I often felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of details he included about the world, the town, and its people. I would have preferred to learn a few key details and then watched the plot move forward. The book often felt slow to me simply because much of what I read was information about the background of the world or its people, rather than action or dialogue which advanced the story.

In addition, while the book presented two interesting stories (Will's journey of discovery, followed by the world's political machinations) it felt like it ended too early. It seemed like a three act play where the third act had yet to occur. While I'm certain the author will pick up these threads in the second book, I prefer for the first book in a series to stand alone, even if subsequent books set up more story. This is subjective, however, and as this is the first book in a planned trilogy, this ending may work fine for others.

In summary, Duilleog presents what I felt was a refreshing and novel take on the traditional "healer" character, avoiding common tropes. Allan's first book sets up an interesting conflict both within the political power structure as well as a dangerous conspiracy targeting Will himself. It will be interesting to see how this all manifests in the sequel. ...more

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	Glyphbinder (Tales of the Five Provinces Book 1) 3.49 avg rating — 53 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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