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—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art by Richard Anderson
A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Invoker (Book #1 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy
Pages: 592 pages
Word count: 189,000 words
Published: 8th April 2025 by Orbit (UK) & 3rd June 2025 by Saga Press (US)
A Song of Legends Lost is a Final Fantasy X inspired debut with magic summons reminiscent of Spirit from Shaman King or Stand from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. …
Cover art illustrated by Eshpur
Herald by Rob J. Hayes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Age of the God Eater (Book #1 of 3), The God Eater Saga
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Pages: 720 pages (Hardcover edition)
Word Count: 235,000 words
Publish date: 23rd of July 2024 by Rob J. Hayes (Self-Published)
Herald, or the entire God Eater Saga by Rob J. Hayes, is my pick for the best self-published fantasy books of 2024.
“Books, I have long since learned, can enslave or liberate a person as surely can a sword. But often, with a book, the subject won’t know the difference.”
Cover art illustrated by: Marcus Whinney
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Bloodsworn Saga (Book #3 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy
Pages: 536 pages (Hardcover edition)
Published: 22nd October 2024 by Orbit
The moment is here. Another ending from John Gwynne. The Fury of the Gods is the action-packed concluding volume to Gwynne’s—quite likely—most popular series, The Bloodsworn Saga. …
Cover art illustrated by Nekro XIII
Labyrinth’s Heart by M.A. Carrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Rook and Rose (Book #3 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy
Pages: 688 pages (Kindle edition)
Word Count: 220,000 words
Publish date: 15th August 2023 by Orbit
Labyrinth’s Heart provides a satisfying conclusion to every major characters of the Rook and Rose trilogy. …
Cover art illustrated by Michael Whelan
Empire of Grass by Tad Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Last King of Osten Ard (Book #2 of 4), The Osten Ard Saga (Book #5 of 7)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Pages: 684 pages (Hardcover edition)
Word Count: 319,000 words
Published: 7th May 2019 by DAW Books (US) & Hodder (UK)
Empire of Grass is the darkest entry in the entire Osten Ard Saga by Tad Williams so far, and I feel it is going to be outshined by its sequels.
“You don’t know you’re in a story until someone tells it to you afterward.”
Cover art illustrated by Nekro XIII
The Liar’s Knot by M.A. Carrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Rook and Rose (Book #2 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy
Pages: 688 pages (Kindle edition)
Word Count: 215,000 words
Publish date: 9th December 2021 by Orbit
The Liar’s Knot took its time to get its gear running, but the moment it started, the M.A. Carrick duo proved why this is a stronger installment than its predecessor. …
Cover art illustrated by Nekro XIII
The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: Rook and Rose (Book #1 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy
Pages: 688 pages (Paperback edition)
Word Count: 215,000 words
Publish date: 19th January 2021 by Orbit
The Mask of Mirrors is the start of a Venetian fantasy-setting series with a heavy focus on political intrigue, multiple identities, lies, and world-building. …
Cover art illustrated by Eshpur
Deathless by Rob J. Hayes
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Annals of the God Eater (Book #1 of 3), The God Eater Saga
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Pages: 196 pages (Kindle edition)
Publish date: 23rd of July 2024 by Rob J. Hayes (Self-Published)
Deathless was, unbelievably, even better than Demon; this is an intense and dark political epic fantasy done right.
”It takes more than one person to birth a conspiracy. “
Review copy provided by the author’s agent—Zeno Literary Agency—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by Todd Lockwood
The Tropic of Serpents by Marie Brennan
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Memoirs of Lady Trent (Book #2 of 5)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy
Word Count: 98,000 words
Pages: 331 pages (Paperback edition)
Published: 4th March 2014 by Tor Books (US) & 20th June 2014 by Titan Books (UK)
The Tropic of Serpents precisely portrayed why I hate jungles.
“There is no faster way to harden my determination than to assume I will fail at something.”