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.”
ARC provided by the publisher—Gollancz—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by: Sam Green
The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Mistborn: Wax and Wayne (Book #4 of 4), Mistborn Saga (Book #7 of 7)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Steampunk
Pages: 528 pages (Kindle Edition)
Published: 15th November 2022 by Gollancz (UK) & Tor Books (US)
My god… The Lost Metal was an explosive and stunning conclusion to Mistborn: Wax and Wayne series. Sanderson has delivered another tremendous finishing volume in The Mistborn Saga, reinforcing my excitement for future Cosmere books.
“If you truly were interested in the beauty of the art—instead of some tangential sense of control—you’d want everyone to be able to experience it. The more the better.”
Cover art illustrated by: Chris McGrath
The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Mistborn: Wax and Wayne (Book #3 of 4), Mistborn Saga (Book #6 of 7)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Steampunk
Pages: 447 pages (International Paperback Edition)
Published: 26th January 2016 by Tor Books (US) & 28th January 2016 by Gollancz (UK)
The Bands of Mourning is the best of the Mistborn: Wax and Wayne so far.
…
Cover art illustrated by: Chris McGrath
Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Mistborn: Wax and Wayne (Book #2 of 4), Mistborn Saga (Book #5 of 7)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Steampunk
Pages: 383 pages (International Paperback Edition)
Published: 6th October 2015 by Tor Books (US) & 8th October 2015 by Gollancz (UK) …
Cover art illustrated by: Chris McGrath
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Mistborn: Wax and Wayne (Book #1 of 4), Mistborn Saga (Book #4 of 7)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Steampunk
Pages: 392 pages (Mass Market Paperback Edition)
Published: 8th November 2011 by Tor Books (US) & 10th November 2011 by Gollancz (UK)
The Alloy of Law is an immensely enjoyable start to the second era of Mistborn Saga by Brandon Sanderson.
“The measure of a person is not how much they have lived. It’s in how they make use of what life has shown them.”
ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art by : Ian Leino
The Fall of Babel by Josiah Bancroft
My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Books of Babel (Book #4 of 4)
Genre: Fantasy, High fantasy, Steampunk
Pages: 672 pages (US paperback edition)
Published: 9th December 2021 by Orbit
The Fall of Babel is not just a title; it is a state. A state where the quality of the series ends up.
Josiah Bancroft, please do not read this review. I love your previous books, and I would prefer your memory of my thoughts on your books remains that way; leave it in the state of innocence and happiness just like Senlin before he entered the Tower of Babel. Now, let’s get on with the review.
“You could resent yourself for your imperfect enjoyment of your life, but that seems to me like a never-ending chore. A thankless one, too. I think that if we really knew how good our lives were while they were good, we’d be too scared to do anything, change anything. We’d never take a risk, or explore, or grow. You can hate yourself for not fully appreciating your happy days while you had them, or you could look back and be warmed by the memory, couldn’t you?”
This review was written the 2nd of July 2017
Cover art by: Ian Leino
Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Books of Babel (Book #2 of 4)
Genre: Fantasy, Steampunk Fantasy
Pages: 381 pages (US Kindle edition)
Published: 28th July 2014 by Josiah Bancroft (Self-published) & 22nd August 2017 Orbit Books
Raven’s Shadow by Anthony Ryan, The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan, and now, The Books of Babel by Josiah Bancroft; I’ll be surprised if this series doesn’t end up becoming the next successful self-published to traditionally published fantasy transition.
Arm of the Sphinx is the second book in The Books of Babel series by Josiah Bancroft. The story continues months after the end of the previous book. Each chapter still begins with memorable and philosophical quotes such as:
“We are, each of us, a multitude. I am not the man I was this morning, nor the man of yesterday. I am a throng of myself queued through time. We are, gentle reader, each a crowd within a crowd.”
This review was written on the 29th of June 2017
Cover art by: Ian Leino
Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Books of Babel (Book #1 of 4)
Genre: Fantasy, Steampunk Fantasy
Pages: 371 pages (US Kindle edition)
Published: 18th February 2013 by Josiah Bancroft (Self-published) & 22nd August 2017 Orbit Books
If you need extra proof that a self-published fantasy can be on par/superior compared to traditionally published fantasy books, Senlin Ascends is it. …
Review copy provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Dead Djinn Universe (Book #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Steampunk
Pages: 401 pages (UK Kindle edition)
Published: 11st May 2021 by Orbit (UK) and TorDotCom (US)
There’s a lot of praises for A Master of Djinn online, and I can certainly understand why.
“Rich people always have enemies. Usually, that’s how they became rich.”
I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo
ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by: Sam Weber
The Helm of Midnight by Marina J. Lostetter
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Five Penalties (Book #1 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 464 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 13th April 2021 by Tor Books
This is an incredible book. Character-driven and bloody thrilling; The Helm of Midnight has pretty much confirmed its spot in one of my favorite books of 2021 list. …