Series:The Legends of the First Empire (Book #6 of 6)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic fantasy
Pages: 464 pages (Mass Market Paperback)
Published: 5th May 2020 by Grim Oak Press (Self-Published)
Age of Empyre provided a relatively satisfying ending to the series, but the series never reached the height of The Riyria books.
“That’s what stories are for, Brin realized. They are magic that aid people in times like this. They provide hope, a light to see by when all others are snuffed out.”
Between 1st January 2021 and 28th December 2022, I’ve read 65 novels + 162 manga/manhwa volumes (69k pages).
Please read this first. There will be three rules I set in this list in order for me to give appreciation to more authors rather than having only a few authors hoarding this list. These rules allow me to highlight more authors, and at the same time, I’ll also be able to include both new and older books (many of them still need attention) that I read within this year.
Rereads aren’t included.
One book per series.
The books listed here are not all exclusively published this year; the list consists of the top books I read for the first time within this year. Non-2022 published books on this list will have their first date of publication included.
Do note that although there’s a rank to this list, I HIGHLY recommend every book/series listed below because I loved all of them immensely, and they received a rating of 4.5 (rounded up on Goodreads) or 5 out of 5 stars from me. Honorable mentions are for books I rated 4.5 stars but I didn’t round up the ratings. And I will also mention my favorite novellas first this year. Without further ado, here are the top 15 (or 19) books I’ve read this year! (All full reviews of the books listed can be found on Novel Notions and my Goodreads page.) …
The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding My rating:5 of 5 stars Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy Pages: 832 pages Published: 16th February 2023, Gollancz
“Heroes don’t have to fight. They don’t even have to be the best at anything. So what do they do? They keep going.”
Three years have passed since the events in The Ember Blade. Aren and the rest of the Dawnwardens hoped for a spark that ignited a flame of revolution, but the fire never caught. Instead, the rebels have left southern Ossia and journeyed north into the highlands, home of the Fell people, to strike an alliance. But treachery lurks around every corner. New dreadknights threaten the land. And a hidden, powerful artifact, the Shadow Casket, could shift the balance of power if claimed. Aren, Fen, Grub, Mara, and a host of new characters must band together to uncover a horrifying act of oppression if they want a chance at uniting the Fell clans and turning the tables on the Krodan imperialists.
“Feelings may be the enemy of intellect, but they are also its engine, and it’s a fool that wishes them away.”
Much like in The Ember Blade, one of The Shadow Casket’s strongest aspects is its characters. Wooding has developed this cast remarkably well, giving ample time to each POV, ensuring consequences that hit hard. Each character has different motivations and fallacies, and their flaws and decisions create wonderful and unpredictable chaos. One of the biggest surprises is how much I enjoyed reading one of the most hated characters from the last book, Overwatchman Klyssen; he’s a character you love to despise, but come to understand. Klyssen’s story reminded me of Abercrombie’s Sand dan Glokta: evil, but relatable.
Another aspect of the story that had me up late reading each night was how many surprise bombshells there were. There were some excellent twists, and devastating losses. None of it would have worked so well if I hadn’t been attached to so many of these wonderful characters. Though this is a long book, over 800 pages, at no point did I feel there was filler – every chapter propelled the story forward, further developed the cast, and built itself up for the next explosive set piece.
The Ember Blade can be separated into three acts: the camp, the road journey, and the heist finale. The Shadow Casket can also be divided into a similar structure. I won’t spoil what they are, but it gave the book a naturally progressive feel. The action is paced beautifully; Wooding has created some breathtaking environments to play in. During one sequence, it felt like we were treading into horror territory, and I have a sense that we’ll lean more into that theme in the next chapter of the Darkwater Legacy.
“The cogs of history were greased with the blood of sacrifices; it dripped from their teeth. Without it, they didn’t move.”
When I first reviewed The Ember Blade, I said it was everything I could possibly want in an epic fantasy novel. The Shadow Casket continues this tradition. It is full of action, heart, humor, and an expansive cast of endearing characters that I didn’t want to leave behind. One of my favorite reads of the year.
We have an exciting post today. Novel Notions will be hosting the REAL cover reveal to the hardback edition of Death’s Beating Heart by Rob J. Hayes. Apparently, after posting the gorgeous cover reveal to The Titan Hoppers by Rob J. Hayes a few months ago, I am lucky enough to be given the chance to host another awesome cover reveal for Hayes’s books. I haven’t read this one yet, but many have voiced their opinion on how good the series is. And as a fan of The Mortal Techniques series by the author, I have faith they’re right on this. And as a bonus, before you see the cover art to Death’s Beating Heart, the final book in The War Eternal series, as a refresher I will post ALL the previous cover art for the hardback in the series first! ENJOY!
The Choice is the epic conclusion of Nora Roberts’ Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy. Here we have portals to other worlds, mythical creatures, magic light and dark, and battles between good and evil on both large scale and small. There is a charming, diverse cast of characters, a couple of lovely romances, and a wonderful emphasis on family, whether bound by blood or chosen by heart. In this trilogy and her last, Chronicles of the One, Nora has made a radical departure from the cozy and comfortable storytelling I fell in love with as a teen. I can see where some lifelong fans of her writing might be disappointed in the shift, but I really respect it. This trilogy, and the one published before it, are stories that I would have no qualms recommending to fantasy fans who have never had much interest in Nora’s work. …
Hello all, and welcome to my Science Fiction November monthly wrap-up. While not all of my reads are strictly within the science fiction genre, I would argue that a couple of them are genre-blending enough to qualify as fantasy scifi and scifi horror. I think the Book of the Month will come as a surprise… to absolutely no one.
NB. Books are rated within its genre. For avoidance of doubt, rereads are not considered for Book of the Month.
Lessons in Chemistry was so much better than I anticipated, even after hearing it so lauded by so many readers. I blame this partly on the cover. While very cute, it doesn’t do justice to the story it contains, conveying something similar in feel to a rom-com instead of what the cover truly hides, which is an empowering historical fiction novel that is by turns heart-wrenching and hilarious. And always, always, so smart. This is a feminist manifesto of the highest, most egalitarian caliber, while also telling a wonderfully compelling story with even more compelling characters. …
Alright, we have another incredibly exciting post today. Posting a cover reveal is always exciting to me, and today, Orbit Books has once again asked Novel Notions to host the cover re-reveal of a book I read and enjoyed roughly three years ago: The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson. Just like The Combat Codes, this was originally a self-published novel that became one of the finalists in SPFBO 6th. With the difference being… The Lost War won first place in SPFBO 6th (2020). This is one of my favorite books, and I think Orbit made the right choice in getting this awesome book into their list of catalogs. And now, The Lost War is receiving a brand-new cover art, design, and publication date. Also, there’s some news regarding the long-awaited sequel to The Lost War below. Do not miss out on it. It is an honor for me and Novel Notions to post the cover art to The Lost War. Without further ado, here’s the NEW cover reveal to The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson!
