The Rose and The Thorn by Michael J. Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: The Riyria Chronicles (Book #2)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy
Published: 17th Sept 2013 by Orbit
My third time reading The Rose and The Thorn, and it still felt just as wonderful to be back.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by: Felix Ortiz
Cover art designed by: STK.Kreations
Spirits of Vengeance by Rob J. Hayes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Mortal Techniques (Book #3)
Genre: Fantasy, High fantasy, Wuxia
Pages: 554 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 28th September 2021 by Rob J. Hayes (Self-published)
Rob J. Hayes has done it. He has created a novel that surpassed Never Die; Spirits of Vengeance is not only my favorite novel in the Mortal Techniques series, but it is also Hayes’s best work so far.
…
The Empty Throne by Bernard Cornwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Last Kingdom (Book #8 of 13)
Genre: Historical fiction
Pages: 353 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 23rd October 2014 by HarperCollins
The Empty Throne was an improvement over The Pagan Lord, and it somehow felt refreshing despite its formulaic structure.
“I wondered why the gods no longer came to earth. It would make belief so much easier.”
The Tyrant’s Law by Daniel Abraham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Dagger and the Coin (Book #3 of 5)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy
Pages: 512 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 14th May 2013 by Orbit
There’s no doubt for me that this was another great read, but I also have to admit that I didn’t enjoy this one as much as The King’s Blood.
“Knowing something another man wanted to know was a kind of power. Maybe the best kind.”
Review copy provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Dead Djinn Universe (Book #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Steampunk
Pages: 401 pages (UK Kindle edition)
Published: 11st May 2021 by Orbit (UK) and TorDotCom (US)
There’s a lot of praises for A Master of Djinn online, and I can certainly understand why.
“Rich people always have enemies. Usually, that’s how they became rich.”
Servant of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist & Janny Wurts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: The Riftwar: Empire (Book #2 of 3), The Riftwar Cycle (Book #6 of 31)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Classic Fantasy
Pages: 827 pages (UK Paperback edition)
Published: 1st September 1990 by Doubleday
Servant of the Empire is an incredible, political, and massive sequel to the excellent Daughter of the Empire.
“You people never cry enough… Uncried tears remain inside you, like poison.”
The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, Tordotcom, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was immediately intrigued when I heard that a fantasy retelling of The Great Gatsby told from Jordan Baker’s perspective was in the works. I’ve always been fascinated by The Great Gatsby, both by the characters and Fitzgerald’s writing style. It’s not the most accessible of novels, despite its brevity, but there’s something magnetic about it, much as there is that same special magnetism surrounding the title character himself. I was very interested in seeing how these characters translated in the hands of another, with magic added to the mix. The author did a pretty great job capturing the tone and feel of the original while still making the story their own. …
The King’s Blood by Daniel Abraham
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Dagger and the Coin (Book #2 of 5)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy
Pages: 517 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 3rd May 2012 by Orbit
The King’s Blood was a magnificent sequel that expanded upon everything the previous book built.
“Wars are easier to start than end, and where they take you is rarely where you intended to go… It will be better for all of us to avoid it.”
Cover arts by Pierre Raveneau
Cover design by Andrei Bat
Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars.
Series: The Great Library (Book 5 of 5)
Genre: Young adult, alternate history, historical fantasy, fantasy
Published: Sept 2019 by Berkley Books (US) and Allison & Busby (UK)
Much to my delight, Sword and Pen delivered a truly satisfying and emotional conclusion to The Great Library, a spectacular YA series that has earned a spot as one of my favourites.