Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Dresden Files (Book #3 of 25)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 465 pages (US Kindle edition)
Published: 4th March 2010 by Orbit (UK) & 1st September 2001 by Roc (US)
This book showed the first signs of The Dresden Files getting better in quality. …
Solo Leveling by Gi So-Ryeong & Jang Sung-Rak
Series: Solo Leveling (Season #1)
Genre: Fantasy, LitRPG, Progression Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Petrik’s Review: 5 of 5 stars
I will level (pun fully intended) myself with you; this was by far the most badass and engaging LitRPG I’ve ever read. …
Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Series: The Dresden Files (Book #2 of 25)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 432 pages (US Kindle edition)
Published: 4th March 2010 by Orbit (UK) & 1st January 2001 by Roc (US)
Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden has a new case to solve: The werewolves are here. …
Review copy of audiobook received from the author in exchange for an honest review
Blight Marked by Josh Erikson
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Ethereal Earth (Book #3)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Published: 11th March 2020 by Josh Erikson (self-published ebook) and Audible Studios
Josh Erikson has utterly upped his game in Blight Marked. A heady concoction of compelling character development, interesting worldbuilding, exhilarating action scenes and great humour, the only thing that made it even better was Erikson’s stellar self-narration. …
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Dresden Files (Book #1 of 25)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 332 pages (UK paperback edition)
Published: 4th March 2010 by Orbit (UK) & 1st April 2000 by Roc (US)
Storm Front is an introductory and page-turning installment to a beloved urban fantasy series.
I am not much of an expert on urban fantasy sub-genre, I certainly haven’t read as much urban fantasy compared to high fantasy, and almost all of the majority of urban fantasy series I’ve thoroughly loved has been UF series that took place in a fictional world rather than ours; The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee and The Divine Cities trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett are a great example of this. Many trusted readers and friends of mine who understands my reading taste, however, have convinced me that if there’s one urban fantasy series—with a contemporary setting—that I would end up loving, it’s The Dresden Files by Jim Bucher. Well, here I am, I’m officially starting my journey with this series.
“There is no truer gauge of a man’s character than the way in which he employs his strength, his power.”
ARC provided by the publisher—Del Rey—in exchange for an honest review.
Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: The Founders Trilogy (Book #2 of 3)
Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 512 pages (US hardcover edition)
Published: 21st April 2020 by Jo Fletcher Books (UK) & Del Rey Books (US)
Shorefall is mind-bending great; Robert Jackson Bennett once again proved himself that he is a precious gift for the SFF genre. …
The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Fetch Phillips Archives
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Published: 6th February 2020 by Orbit (UK) & 2nd February 2020 by Orbit (US)
ARC provided by the publisher, Orbit 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.
The Last Smile in Sunder City is a UF mystery, imbued with a unique personality, a moody atmosphere and a deep wistfulness.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Blight Marked by Josh Erikson
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: Ethereal Earth (Book #3)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 390 pages
Published: 11th March 2020 by Josh Erikson (Indie)
This series is pure entertainment, get on this as soon as you can!
“Deep down we all believe we’re frauds. But it’s only when we stop believing that it actually becomes true.”
Hero Forged was good, Fate Lashed was incredible, and thankfully the second book wasn’t a fluke. Blight Marked, the third book in the ongoing Ethereal Earth series by Josh Erikson, retained the overall quality displayed in Fate Lashed. At the same time, Erikson also managed to include more of the fun and entertaining dialogues from Hero Forged into this book. Several readers have said that Fate Lashed was relatively more serious in tone, although I grew to loved the series because Erikson did that, there were times where I missed the fun and, at times, hilarious dialogues in the first book. One out of many examples, you can’t say that you don’t like good banter with a pun like this right? RIGHT?
“I feel like you’re setting yourself up for some kind of elevation pun, and I’m not really—“
“Though I suppose it’s more of a ladderal move,” he cut in.”
She nodded sadly and bent to start down the hole. “Yep. Good lord.”
Ehem. …
ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Fetch Phillips Archives (Book #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 352 pages (UK paperback edition)
Published: 6th February 2020 by Orbit (UK) & 2nd February 2020 by Orbit (US)
A well-written urban fantasy with a wonderful take on the premise of “what happens when magic runs out?”
The Last Smile in Sunder City is Luke Arnold’s debut, it’s the first book in an urban fantasy series titled Fetch Phillips Archives. I think I’m speaking on behalf of many readers that we have come to know the name Luke Arnold from his role as “Long” John Silver in the Black Sails TV series. Admittedly, I didn’t finish watching the TV series until I saw Orbit’s announcement of Arnold’s debut, which frankly intrigued me. He did an incredible job there on the TV series, but how about his debut as a fantasy author? Well, there’s nothing to worry about, this was a great read, and I think if you know what you’re getting into, you’ll find that there’s plenty of things to love within this short book.
“I like books. They’re quiet, dignified and absolute. A man might falter but his words, once written, will hold.”
ARC received from the publisher, Orbit, in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Fetch Phillips Archives (Book 1)
Genre: Urban fantasy, mystery, noir
Published: 6th February 2020 (Orbit UK) & 25th February 2020 (Orbit US)
The Last Smile in Sunder City was an impressive debut by Luke Arnold; a dark urban fantasy that enraptured me with its stellar worldbuilding and writing style.
Firstly, I’ve never been exposed to much noir elements in my reading so far, so I won’t be able to make any comparisons. However, I can still safely say that this book accurately captured that feel in its worldbuilding and the characterisation of its main character, Fetch Phillips. In a world where magic was destroyed, creatures or beings dependent on magic for their existence suffered delibitating effects. The setting has a truly bleak, post-apocalyptic feel. Sunder City couldn’t be more appropriate a name for a progressive city where all hopes and dreams have been torn asunder when magic was lost. …