Browsed by
Tag: 5 stars

Book Review: The Passing of the Dragon by Ken Liu

Book Review: The Passing of the Dragon by Ken Liu

Comments 0 Comment

You can read this beautiful short story for free here: https://www.tor.com/2023/09/13/the-pa…

Cover art illustrated by Mary Haasdyk

The Passing of the Dragon by Ken Liu

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Short Story

Pages: 46 pages (Kindle edition)

Ken Liu has done it again. The Passing of the Dragon is a brilliant and impactful story, I believe, should be read by every reader, reviewer, artist, and author.

“An artist craves an audience, but maybe not all audiences are crave-worthy. “

…

Read More Read More

Book Review: House of Odysseus (The Songs of Penelope, #2) by Claire North

Book Review: House of Odysseus (The Songs of Penelope, #2) by Claire North

Comments 0 Comment


House of Odysseus by Claire North
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, Orbit Books, in exchange for an honest review.

Ithaca was one of my favorite books of 2022. However, I was thrown at the end of the book when I discovered that, unlike most Greek myth retellings, it was not a standalone novel but the first of a trilogy. I have been eagerly awaiting House of Odysseus since finishing those final pages of Ithaca, and am thrilled to announce that it lived up to its predecessor in every single way. This series follows the story of Penelope during the 20 year absence of her husband, King Odysseus of Ithaca. Ithaca presents this story from the perspective of Hera, Queen of Queens, as she observes what’s going on in Penelope’s life and how those happens overlap with the last days of Clytemnestra, Hera’s darling. House of Odysseus picks up where Ithaca left off, but now from the perspective of Aphrodite as her favorite, Helen, weaves her way back into Penelope’s story. …

Read More Read More

Book Review: Light Bringer (Red Rising Saga, #6) by Pierce Brown

Book Review: Light Bringer (Red Rising Saga, #6) by Pierce Brown

Comments 0 Comment

This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Light Bringer

Cover art illustrated by Jonathan Barlett

Light Bringer by Pierce Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Red Rising Saga (Book #6 of 7)

Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera

Pages: 682 pages (Hardcover edition)

Publish date: 25th of July 2023 by Del Rey (US) & Hodder (UK)

Light Bringer is a bloodydamn near perfect space-opera masterpiece.

“For a friend with an understanding heart is worth no less than a brother. —Homer”

…

Read More Read More

Book Review: To Green Angel Tower (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, #3) by Tad Williams

Book Review: To Green Angel Tower (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, #3) by Tad Williams

Comments 0 Comment

This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on To Green Angel Tower

Cover art illustrated by Michael Whelan

To Green Angel Tower by Tad Williams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn (Book #3 of 3), The Osten Ard Saga (Book #3 of 7)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Classic Fantasy

Pages: 1960 pages (eBook edition)

Word Count: 533,000 words

Published: 1st March 1993 by DAW Books

It is done… At 530k words long, To Green Angel Tower is the largest single-volume novel I’ve ever read. It is a mesmerizing slow-burn epic fantasy tome imbued with high-stakes pulse-pounding final chapters.

“Sorrow needed its brothers. Together they would make a music greater still.”

…

Read More Read More

Book Review: Jade Shards (The Green Bone Saga, #0.75) by Fonda Lee

Book Review: Jade Shards (The Green Bone Saga, #0.75) by Fonda Lee

Comments 0 Comment

This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Jade Shards

Cover art illustrated by: Charis Loke

Jade Shards by Fonda Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Green Bone Saga (Book #0.75 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Urban Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Pages: 136 pages (Hardback edition)

Published: 31st July 2023 by Subterranean Press

Jade Shards is an incredibly well-written farewell titles for the fans of Green Bone Saga.

“This one’s for the fans.”—Fonda Lee

…

Read More Read More

Book review: Blood Over Bright Haven

Book review: Blood Over Bright Haven

Comments 1 comment

Cover art illustrated by M.L. Wang

 

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Dark Academia, Fantasy, Gaslamp Fantasy, Steampunk

Pages: Not available

Word Count: 120 000 words

Published: 25th July 2023, Self-published

Unbelievable… She did it again. Blood Over Bright Haven is proof that no one writes standalone fantasy books as good as M.L. Wang. Full stop.

“Truth over delusion. Growth over comfort. God over all.”

…

Read More Read More

Book Review: Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson

Book Review: Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson

Comments 4 comments

This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Yumi and the Nightmare Painter.

Cover art by Aliya Chen

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Cosmere

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Romance

Pages: 479 pages (Kindle)

Published: 1st July 2023 by Dragonsteel Books (Kickstarter) & 11th July 2023 by Tor Books (US Ebook)/Gollancz (UK Ebook)

This was utterly brilliant and satisfying. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter will be the best of the secret project novels, and it is easily one of Sanderson’s finest books in his career. …

Read More Read More

Book Review: Esrahaddon (The Rise and Fall, #3) by Michael J. Sullivan

Book Review: Esrahaddon (The Rise and Fall, #3) by Michael J. Sullivan

Comments 3 comments

Read an early copy of the ebook as a Kickstarter backer

Artwork by Marc Simonetti

Esrahaddon by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars.

Series: The Rise and Fall (Book 3 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, high fantasy, classic fantasy

Publication date: 15th August 2023 (ebook) and 5th December 2023 (hardcover) by Riyria Enterprises, LLC.

Esrahaddon was the stunning final piece in the puzzle that masterfully connected all the stories that had been told in the world of Elan.

…

Read More Read More

Book Review: Morning Star (Red Rising Saga, #3) by Pierce Brown

Book Review: Morning Star (Red Rising Saga, #3) by Pierce Brown

Comments 0 Comment

This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Morning Star and Red Rising Trilogy.

Morning Star by Pierce Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Red Rising Saga (Book #3 of 7)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Classic Fantasy

Pages: 518 pages (Paperback Edition)

Word Count: 173,000 words

Published: 9th February 2016 by Del Rey (US) & 11th February 2016 by Hodder (UK)

Morning Star is an absolutely prime conclusion to the first trilogy in Red Rising Saga, my favorite sci-fi series of all time to date.

“If this is the end, I will rage toward it.”

…

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Dragonbone Chair (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, #1) by Tad Williams

Book Review: The Dragonbone Chair (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, #1) by Tad Williams

Comments 0 Comment

This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Dragonbone Chair.

Cover art illustrated by Donato Giancola

The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn (Book #1 of 3), The Osten Ard Saga (Book #1 of 7)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Classic Fantasy

Pages: 703 pages (Hardcover edition)

Word Count: 288,700 words

Published: 25th October 1988 by DAW Books

Incredible. The Dragonbone Chair is an absolutely brilliant transition from classic to modern epic fantasy.

“When you stopped to think about it, he reflected, there weren’t many things in life one truly needed. To want too much was worse than greed: it was stupidity—a waste of precious time and effort.”

…

Read More Read More