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Book Review: The Fires of Vengeance (The Burning, #2) by Evan Winter

Book Review: The Fires of Vengeance (The Burning, #2) by Evan Winter

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ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.

Cover illustration by: Karla Ortiz

The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Burning (Book #2 of 4)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 528 pages (UK Hardback)

Published: 12th November 2020 by Orbit (UK) & 10th November 2020 by Orbit (US)

The Fires of Vengeance is an excellent sequel. If Winter can keep this impressive quality up for the remaining two books, the series is guaranteed to be included in many fantasy reader’s lists of favorite fantasy series. …

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Book Review: Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, by Ruth Emmie Lang

Book Review: Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, by Ruth Emmie Lang

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Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can’t remember the last time I was so utterly charmed and delighted by a story. Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance reads like a middle grade novel for adults, and I need more books like this one in my life. There is a wholesome, wonderful innocence to the story that won me over immediately. I’ve never been a fan of the word “precious,” but that term perfectly describes Lang’s debut novel. …

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Book Review: The Fires of Vengeance (The Burning, #2) by Evan Winter

Book Review: The Fires of Vengeance (The Burning, #2) by Evan Winter

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Cover illustration by: Karla Ortiz

The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Burning quartet (Book #2 of 4)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Military Fantasy,

Published: 12th November 2020 by Orbit (UK) & 10th November 2020 by Orbit (US

This review is spoiler free.

The Fires of Vengeance melts expectations; burning even hotter than the Rage of Dragons and blazing a trail for Evan Winter to join an elite group at the top of the fantasy pile.

I absolutely loved Evan Winter’s first contribution to the fantasy genre, and ever since I finished the Rage of Dragons I had been counting the months to the sequel’s release and holding on to the hope of maybe even getting a chance to read it earlier. When I was offered an ARC, I jumped at the chance to read more about Tau and his journey on the path of vengeance and immediately made space in my schedule.

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Book Review: The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, #3)

Book Review: The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, #3)

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The Waste Lands by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

And the award for creepiest train in all of literature goes to…

“Don’t ask me silly questions
I won’t play silly games
I’m just a simple choo choo train
And I’ll always be the same.

I only want to race along
Beneath the bright blue sky
And be a happy choo choo train
Until the day I die.”

Stephen King has had a place among my favorite authors for 3 or 4 years now. But over the span of this book and its predecessor, The Drawing of the Three, he’s edging remarkably close to becoming not just one of my favorite authors, but my hands down favorite. Right now he’s in a three-way tie with Brandon Sanderson and Nora Roberts, but Wizard and Glass might actually change that if it holds a candle to The Waste Lands. I’ve heard that the back half of the Dark Tower series pales a bit in comparison to the first 4 books, so I’m trying to keep my expectations low, but this is shaping up to be my favorite series of all time.
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Book Review: The Crippled God (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #10) by Steven Erikson

Book Review: The Crippled God (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #10) by Steven Erikson

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The Crippled God by Steven Erikson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars.

Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen (Book 10 of 10)

Genre: Epic fantasy, grimdark fantasy, fantasy

First published:  March 2011 by Bantam (UK) and Tor (US)

The Crippled God is a breathtaking conclusion to an outstanding series; Malazan Book of the Fallen is a masterpiece of its genre and has affirmed its place as my favourite epic grimdark fantasy series. …

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Book Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1) by Scott Lynch

Book Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1) by Scott Lynch

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Cover illustration by: Benjamin Carre

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Gentleman Bastard (Book #1 of 7)

Genre: Fantasy, High fantasy, Heist Fantasy

Pages: 544 pages (UK Paperback edition)

Published: 1st June 2006 by Gollancz (UK) & 27th June 2006 by Spectra (US)

The Lies of Locke Lamora is a double fuckdamn for me. First, for postponing reading this book for such a long time. Second, Scott Lynch’s capability to successfully craft such an incredible debut exceeded my expectations.

“There’s no freedom quite like the freedom of being constantly underestimated.”

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Book review: A Time of Courage (Of Blood and Bone #3) by John Gwynne

Book review: A Time of Courage (Of Blood and Bone #3) by John Gwynne

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A Time of Courage by John Gwynne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Of Blood and Bone (Book #3 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Published: 2nd April 2020 by Pan Macmillan (UK) & 7th April 2020 by Orbit (US)

ARC provided by the publisher, Pan Macmillan, in exchange for an honest opinion. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and the quotes included may have changed in the released copy.

A Time of Courage is the glorious and bittersweet conclusion of 140 hundred years (or I should probably say 2000 years) worth of bloody history in the Banished Lands!

I have to admit that I went into this final book with a lot of trepidation, in addition to the positive excitement and anticipation. Could this book really be on the same level as Wrath, the masterpiece that was the conclusion of the previous quartet? Will I love it as much? Would I feel as much joy, and sorrow and satisfaction? Will I stare at the book, blinking away tears and trying to calm my frantic heart as a beloved character met their end? Will my eyes fly through the pages, during a tension-filled battle or duel, to seek the outcome and make sure my heroes survived? The answers were yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. John Gwynne truly outdid himself in this outstanding finale.

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Book Review: The Trouble With Peace (The Age of Madness, #2) by Joe Abercrombie

Book Review: The Trouble With Peace (The Age of Madness, #2) by Joe Abercrombie

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I received an ARC of The Trouble with Peace (Gollancz) in exchange for an honest review.

Cover illustration by: Tomás Almeida

The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Age of Madness (Book #2 of 3), First Law World (Book, #9 of 10)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Grimdark fantasy

Published: 15th September 2020 by Gollancz (UK) & 15th September 2020 by Orbit (US)

A savagely stunning sequel. 

The Trouble With Peace takes place shortly after the events of A Little Hatred and its ominous conclusion. Whilst peace has been hard-won, it is a peace built on shaky foundations and the title for this second book in The Age of Madness trilogy is not coy about the direction of this story.
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Book Review: A Little Hatred (The Age of Madness, #1) by Joe Abercrombie

Book Review: A Little Hatred (The Age of Madness, #1) by Joe Abercrombie

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A Little Hatred


Cover illustration by: Tomás Almeida

A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Age of Madness (Book #1 of 3), First Law World (Book, #8 of 10)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Grimdark fantasy

Published: 17th September 2019 by Gollancz (UK) & 17th September 2019 by Orbit (US)

As ferocious and fun as ever.

It’s been a while since I read a Joe Abercrombie novel, and the truth is that it has been too long. This dawned on me when I recently read one of his short stories in an anthology and was instantly reminded that he is one of the greatest fantasy writers of our era, with a writing style and tone of his own, and a gift for bringing words, thoughts and emotions to life like no other. A Little Hatred moved up on my TBR and when I saw that his latest book, The Trouble with Peace, was releasing soon I decided that there was no time like the present for catching up.
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