The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The First Law (Book #1 of 3), First Law World (Book, #1 of 10)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Grimdark fantasy
Published: 4th May 2006 by Gollancz (UK) & 8th September 2015 by Orbit (US)
Before anyone gasped in surprise that I’ve not read this excellent grimdark entry by Joe Abercrombie, allow me to provide a little backstory.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Paternus: War of Gods by Dyrk Ashton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: The Paternus Trilogy (Book #3 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Mythologies
Pages: 746 pages
Published: 23rd June 2020 by Paternus Books Media (Indie)
Bloody magnificent. Urban fantasy novel just doesn’t get more epic than Paternus: War of Gods. …
Blood Rites by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Dresden Files (Book #6 of 25)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 372 pages (US Kindle edition)
Published: 4th March 2010 by Orbit (UK) & 3rd August 2004 by Roc (US)
“The building was on fire, and it wasn’t my fault.”
As if anyone would believe that, Harry. …
The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Cemetery of Forgotten Books (Book #3 of 4)
Genre: Historical fiction, Mystery
Pages: 293 pages (US Kindle edition)
Translated Edition Published: 2012 by Weidenfield & Nicholson, Orion Books (UK) & by Harper (US)
Both Daniel Sempere and David Martin already have their respective background told, now it’s time for Fermin Romero de Torres’s past to be revealed.
“One mustn’t dream of one’s future; one must earn it.”
Review copy received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Fid’s Crusade by David H. Reiss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Chronicles of Fid (Book 1 of 3)
Genre: Superhero, science fiction
Published: 23rd March 2018 (self-published); Re-release with new cover: 1st January 2020 (Atian Press)
I can’t say that I’ve read many superhero/villain stories. But for what it’s worth, I’d say that Fid’s Crusade was a great read; an engaging anti-hero story that balanced fascinating character work with clever plotting and cool action scenes.
…
ARC provided by the publisher—Tor UK—in exchange for an honest review.
The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Standalone
Genre: Sci-fi
Pages: 608 pages
Published: 4th August 2020 by Tor (UK) & Orbit (US)
Children of Time has won the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 2016, and Children of Ruin won the “best novel of the year” in The British Science Fiction Association Award a few days ago. Tchaikovsky’s newest work, The Doors of Eden, will definitely continue to win him more prestigious SFF awards in the future. …
Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars.
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen (Book 8 of 10)
Genre: Epic fantasy, grimdark fantasy
First published: 2008 by Bantam (UK) and Tor (US)
In a series replete with epic endings, Toll the Hounds offered, to date, the most epic one of all. It is with much joy that upon rereading I could upgrade this book as one of my favourites.
Circe by Madeline Miller
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Standalone
Genre: Historical fiction, Mythology, Retelling
Pages: 433 pages (US Kindle edition)
Published: 19th April 2018 by Bloomsbury (UK) & 10th April 2018 by Little, Brown and Company (US)
Madeline Miller is now on my must-read author list. I can’t wait for her next work already. …
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Lord of the Rings (Book #1 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, Classic Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Published: 29th July 1954 by George Allen and Unwin
“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”
Death Masks by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Dresden Files (Book #5 of 25)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 464 pages (US Kindle edition)
Published: 4th March 2010 by Orbit (UK) & 5th August 2003 by Roc (US)
Harry Dresden need some sleep, and he’s not getting one easily.