Cover art by Chris McGrath
Once There Were Heroes by Philip C. Quaintrell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: A Time of Dragons (Book #1 of 5)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Pages: 750 pages (Hardcover Edition)
Published: 4 September 2023 by Quaintrell Publishings
Once There Were Heroes ignites the epic and slow-burning genesis of an unexplored saga in the world of Verda. …
ARC provided by the publisher—Harper Voyager—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by Tom Roberts
Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Academy of Kindness (Book #1 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic fantasy
Pages: 450 pages (Ebook Edition)
Published: 24th March 2026 by Ace Books (US) and Harper Voyager (UK)
Daughter of Crows marks Lawrence’s marvelous return to the grim and dark storytelling of his, and it will be one tale to remember.
The Academy’s official motto was, πίστη πάνω από τη συνείδηση, ‘Creed Above Conscience.’ Unofficially it was ‘Leave the bodies’.
Cover art designed by Micaela Alcaino
Half a King by Joe Abercrombie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Shattered Sea (Book #1 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Post-Apocalypse
Pages: 416 pages (Paperback Edition)
Word Count: 81,000 words
Published: 3rd July 2014 by Del Rey and Harper Voyager
I shouldn’t have worried. Half a King is a fine example of Young Adult epic fantasy done right.
“… Never worry about what has been done. Only about what will be.”
Winter’s Chill by Morgan L. Busse
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Winter’s Chill picks up right where Winter’s Maiden left off. We continue following Brighid and Kaeden, with occasional secondary perspectives thrown in. Busse takes us to the White City in the southlands, and back to Bear Clan territory in the north. I loved learning more about the Eldaran through Kaeden’s perspective. But even more, I loved exploring the lore and power of the Bear Clan alongside Brighid. While not as tense and fast-paced as its predecessor, Winter’s Chill is just as compelling. The expansion of the world and the growth of the characters made for an engaging reading experience. …
Winter’s Maiden by Morgan L. Busse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Winter’s Maiden is the first installment in the Nordic Wars, a Norse-inspired fantasy brimming with compelling characters, intense action, and fascinating worldbuilding. Fans of John Gwynne, rejoice! This novel scratches the same itch as Gwynne’s The Faithful and the Fallen in terms of mythos, and his Bloodsworn Saga in terms of setting and characters. I was swept away by this epic tale from start to finish, and I immediately dove into the second installment, Winter’s Chill, as soon as I read the final page. …
ARC provided by the publisher—Saga Press—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art by Jaime Jones
The Strength of the Few by James Islington
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Hierarchy (Book #2)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Science Fantasy
Pages: 736 pages (Hardcover edition)
Word Count: 240,000 words
Published: 11th Novermber 2025 by Saga Press
We’re not at the end of 2025 yet, but I believe The Strength of the Few by James Islington has secured the best fantasy book of the year award. This is the finest sequel I’ve read since Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson and The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu.
“The power to protect is the highest responsibility.”
Review copy provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art by Magali Villeneuve
The Radiant King by David Dalglish
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Astral Kingdoms (Book #1 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Pages: 514 pages (PaperbackEdition)
Word count: 174,000 words
Published: 4th March 2025 by Orbit Books
The Radiant King by David Dalglish is a Berserk inspired epic fantasy book that will become one of Dalglish’s most underrated titles.
Caligo by J.J. Fischer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have a confession to make: I preordered this standalone sequel to the Nightingale Trilogy before I had even started the first book. I was that sure that I would love the series. That bet paid off. It’s not often that every single book in a series is a five-star read, but the Nightingale saga was that for me. And that includes Caligo. This sequel was just as fantastic as the main trilogy, if not even better. …
Memoria by J.J. Fischer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Absolutely incredible. I was captivated by Calor. I was entranced by Lumen. But it is in Memoria that I found myself the most profoundly moved. Not because it was an excellent story, expertly told. Not because I had fallen in love with the characters and was so deeply invested in their stories. While all of those things were true, and all of them contributed to making this trilogy as wonderful as it is, those components were merely the foundation, the setting of the stage for the Truth that Fischer so brilliantly displayed through this work of fiction. …
Lumen by J.J. Fischer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Lumen is the second installment in the Nightingale trilogy, and it picks up right where Calor left off. The pace is fast and the tensions are high from the very first page. The cast is still wonderful, and I’m enjoying getting to know them more deeply. Fischer does a wonderful job balancing their strengths against their weaknesses. She also does a lovely job of weaving subtle strands of Greek myth into her world in a way that only serves to deepen the story. There are subtle nods throughout, especially seen in the naming of places and even certain characters. …