Browsed by
Tag: epic fantasy

Book Review: The Stone Knife (The Songs of the Drowned, #1) by Anna Stephens

Book Review: The Stone Knife (The Songs of the Drowned, #1) by Anna Stephens

Comments 0 Comment

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

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

Cover illustration by: Stephen Mulcahey

The Stone Knife by Anna Stephens

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Songs of the Drowned (Book #1 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 608 pages (UK Hardback)

Published: 26th November 2020 by Harper Voyager

This was amazing. Great characters, lethal actions, and so much bloodbath; a vampire reading this book would probably find their thirst satiated. …

Read More Read More

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

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

Comments 2 comments

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

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. …

Read More Read More

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

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

Comments 0 Comment

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.

…

Read More Read More

Book review: Northern Wrath (The Hanged God Trilogy #1) by Thilde Kold Holdt

Book review: Northern Wrath (The Hanged God Trilogy #1) by Thilde Kold Holdt

Comments 0 Comment

I received an ARC of Northern Wrath from the publisher (Rebellion) in exchange for an honest review.

Northern Wrath

Cover illustration by: Larry Rostant

Northern Wrath by Thilde Kold Holdt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: The Hanged God trilogy (Book #1 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Norse Fantasy, Historical Fantasy

Published: 29th October 2020 by Rebellion (UK) & 27th Solaris 2020 by Orbit (US)

A promising and ambitious debut.

This book grabbed my attention completely when I saw the gorgeous cover art by Larry Rostant and I immediately added it to my tbr. For all I knew though it could have been about A lost tribe of Norse gummi bears coming back to claim The Lost City of Marshmallow as it was just one of those covers where you don’t really need to ask questions. Stunning in its simplicity and allure.I confess though, I was no less eager upon reading the blurb about vikings, gods and battles and could not resist requesting an ARC of this epic norse fantasy.
…

Read More Read More

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

Comments 0 Comment

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. …

Read More Read More

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

Comments 2 comments

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.

…

Read More Read More

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

Comments 0 Comment

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.
…

Read More Read More

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

Comments 1 comment

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.
…

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3) by J.R.R. Tolkien

Book Review: The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3) by J.R.R. Tolkien

Comments 0 Comment

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Lord of the Rings (Book #3 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Classic Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Published: 20th October 1955 by George Allen and Unwin

“For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”

…

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Black Song (Raven’s Blade, #2) by Anthony Ryan

Book Review: The Black Song (Raven’s Blade, #2) by Anthony Ryan

Comments 0 Comment

Cover illustration by: Cliff Nielsen

The Black Song by Anthony Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Raven’s Blade (Book #2 of 2)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 442 pages (US Kindle edition)

Published: 28th July 2020 by Orbit (UK) & 4th August 2020 by Ace (US)

Anthony Ryan has delivered a satisfying action-packed conclusion to Raven’s Blade while leaving room for one or two more books in the world.

“He lies. They all do, these servants of things unseen. Long ago I learned that prophecy is always built on shifting sands and destiny an illusion used to banish fear of the chaos that is life. I trust what I know. I’ve seen what waits on the other side of death so I know it’s always better to cling to life.”

…

Read More Read More