Fantasy – Page 12 – Everything Is Better With Dragons

Review: ‘The Greenmen’, by Linden Forster

Blurb
Aereon has found the Creators.
He’s crossed seas and mountain ranges to reach them, tangled with dwarves and ogres along the way, escaped the clutches of an icicle wielding irate yeti to rescue them and now they tell him that they weren’t in any great need of help.
A revolution has sparked in the realm of Hudikvar, because of something things Aereon might have said to a troop of homeless youths. Now, King Victarian is after Aereon and anyone associated with him.
Local woodsman, Lars, has agreed to help them flee and be their guide through Oak’s Wood, but even he cannot guess what lies in wait for them within. Not now the Lord of the Primes is about to wake.
‘He’s got a touch of destiny about him, that one,’ said the Dealer.
‘Aye. He’s got a date with her, I’d say,’ said the Trickster.
‘And she’s ordered the lobster,’ said the Teller.

Purchaase Link:

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Greenmen-Heros-Arc-Linden-Forster/dp/099579491X/

Review: ‘Divine Invention’, by Linden Forster

Blurb
Most stories begin with either an unforeseen turn of events or a problem.
Krank has a problem. For centuries, the people of the island have lived on the animals and plants to be found there. It was bliss and so the population grew. It was not until very recently anyone noticed that the quantity of plants and animals had not. The delicate balance of the ecosystem has tipped and food is dwindling.
The King assigned the island’s two resident self-proclaimed geniuses, the Creators, to find a solution. The fruits of their labour ripen into the invention of the world’s first aquatic transportation device and promises to provide passage from the island to search further afield for food and resources.
So, there it is. Problem solved. End of story. Barring any unforeseen turn of events…

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Divine-Invention-Heros-Arc-Book-ebook/dp/B01BU60DOA

US – https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Invention-Heros-Arc-Book-ebook/dp/B01BU60DOA

Review: ‘The 13th Witch’, by Mark Hayden

Publisher: Paw Press
Publication Date: 25th August 2018
ISBN-13: 978-1999821210
*Format: Paperback*
*Price: £5.99*
*Purchase Link:*
**https://www.amazon.co.uk/13th-Witch-Kings-Watch-Book/dp/1999821211/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1544458871&sr=1-1**

Blurb
Did you know that the gods can use mobile phones?
They can, and Odin has a message for Conrad…Conrad Clarke, former RAF pilot and alleged gangster gets a text – and a visit – from The Allfather. Odin has a challenge for Conrad:sign up to protect England from wild magick and get a commission in the King’sWatch. All he has to do is find a missing witch. Simple. Conrad never could resist a challenge. Before you can say “Ragnarok”, he’s plunged into a world of gods, mages, witches, dwarves and one very aggressive giant mole. But the witch doesn’t want to be found, and powerful mages will kill to keep her hidden. Going back isn’t an option. Going forward looks a lot like death. Armed with nothing but a sense of humour and a willingness to cheat, Conrad has to find the Witch and save his life.
Treat yourself to a copy now and experience a whole new universe of magick. And moles…

Review: ‘Mask of the Gods’, by Karen Furk

Published By: The Author
Publication Date: 8th January 2019
Format: Paperback
Price: £9.99
I.S.B.N.: 9781912569014
*Purchase Links:*
**US –** https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M6L45Y8
**UK –** https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07M6L45Y8

Blurb
Soul Demons live off the souls of the living.

When Haydan’s home world is invaded by a soul demon seeking an item shrouded in myth and legend, his father evicts him and sends him to safety. His chosen one and warrior should provide reassurance and sanctuary, but neither appears to be working very well. Just when he thinks matters cannot get any worse his scheming grandmother arrives. She has her own plans that appear to involve him, none of which bodes well.

Diego feels confident he has the soul demon under control. Overlooking his devious mother’s involvement, he fails to appreciate that he is not only storm rider elder, but also an elven prince and certain debts are about to become due.

Lavinia worries about her grandson, but also who she left behind in the elven realm a long time ago. Tallin thinks she abandoned him and he is livid. She has everything under control, including Tallin…at least that is what she thinks.

They all need to learn afresh who to trust. With a soul demon on the rampage, an unleashed, angry and betrayed elven king and a long-forgotten mask surfacing, what could possibly go wrong?

The past is about to catch up with all of them. Nothing is going to go as planned because the mask and the gods have other ideas.

January 2019 Book Review Calendar

Happy New Year and all that jazz.

1st January

She Was The Quiet One
Michele Campbell
Crime
HQ Stories

8th January

The Murder Pit
Mick Finlay
Crime
HarperCollins

12th January

The Convalescent Corpse
Nicola Slade
Crime
Rachel’s Random Resources

17th January

Spiral Into Darkness
Joseph Lewis
Crime Thriller
Rachel’s Random Resources

22nd January

The Pluckley Psychic Historical Society
Grahame Peace
Supernatural Crime
Random Things Tours

23rd January

Mask of the gods
Karen Furk
Fantasy
Rachel’s Random Resources

28th January

The 13th Witch
Mark Hayden
Fantasy
Random Things Tours

November Bonus Review #5: ‘Tempests and Slaughter’, by Tamora Pierce

Published By: HarperCollins UK

Publication Date: 20th September 2018

I.S.B.N.: 9780008304331

Format: Paperback

Price: £8.99

Blurb

The legend begins.

In the ancient halls of the Imperial University of Carthak, a young man has begun his journey to becoming one of most powerful mages the realm has ever known. Arram Draper is the youngest student in his class and has the Gift of unlimited potential for greatness . . . and of attracting danger.

At his side are his two best friends: clever Varice, a girl with too often-overlooked, and Ozorne, the ‘leftover prince’ with secret ambitions. Together, these three forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms.

But as Ozorne inches closer to the throne and Varice grows closer to Arram’s heart, Arram realizes that one day – soon – he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.

In the Numair Chronicles, fans of Tamora Pierce will be rewarded with the never-before-told story of how Numair Salmalín came to Tortall. Newcomers will discover an unforgettable fantasy adventure where a kingdom’s future rests on the shoulders of a boy with unimaginable gifts and a talent for making deadly enemies.

Continue reading “November Bonus Review #5: ‘Tempests and Slaughter’, by Tamora Pierce”

Bonus Review #1: ‘Elysium’s Shadow’, by Matthew Munson

Published By: Inspired Quill

Publication Date: October 2015?

Format: Paperback

Price: £9.99

I.S.B.N.: 978190860069

Bought from here

Blurb

“It’s been a hell of a first day.”

Jon May has been the Governor of Elysium for a few hours, and he’s already facing a belligerent Chief of Security, an ex-Operations Manager imprisoned for killing the previous Governor, and an amorphous energy mass that has its own agenda.

So now Jon has to decide who to trust; his Security Chief will barely talk to him, and his only allies people who are, according to the Republic, dangerous criminals.

With less than 48 hours to delve into the shadows surrounding Elysium’s recent but tumultuous past, May is about to uncover more about this job than he bargained for.

Continue reading “Bonus Review #1: ‘Elysium’s Shadow’, by Matthew Munson”

Bonus Review #1: ‘Snuff’, by Sir Terry Pratchett GNU

8785374 Published by: Doubleday UK

Publication Date: 13th October 2011

Format: Hardback

I.S.B.N.: 9780385619264

Price: £18.99 (And yes, I did pay that much, I used to get my Discworlds as soon as I could)

Blurb

According to the writer of the best-selling crime novel ever to have been published in the city of Ankh-Morpork, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a policeman taking a holiday would barely have had time to open his suitcase before he finds his first corpse.

And Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch is on holiday in the pleasant and innocent countryside, but not for him a mere body in the wardrobe. There are many, many bodies and an ancient crime more terrible than murder.

He is out of his jurisdiction, out of his depth, out of bacon sandwiches, and occasionally snookered and out of his mind, but never out of guile. Where there is a crime there must be a finding, there must be a chase and there must be a punishment.

They say that in the end all sins are forgiven.

But not quite all…

Continue reading “Bonus Review #1: ‘Snuff’, by Sir Terry Pratchett GNU”

Review: ‘So I Might Be A Vampire’, by Rodney V. Smith

So I Might Be a Vampire Published By: Lost Bajan Publishing

Publication Date: 13th February 2018

I.S.B.N.: 9781775007210

Format: Paperback

Price: £13.99

Blurb

Nobody expects to get turned into a vampire, especially a guy like Bob. Everybody hopes that if they somehow get transformed into a vampire, they will instantly become some kind of superhero vampire out of the movies. Bad news guys: not gonna happen. More likely than not, you’re gonna be one of the poor clueless bastards hanging out on Thursday nights with Bob in his vampire support group.

You may think you know what being a vampire is supposed to be like, but Bob is here to set you straight. He’s made it his personal mission to get answers about the reality of being a vampire. He’s been shot, stabbed, thrown off rooftops, survived bad coffee and endured crippling boredom – all in the name of answering the eternal question of what it means to be a vampire.

If you think you might be a vampire, this is the book for you.

Continue reading “Review: ‘So I Might Be A Vampire’, by Rodney V. Smith”

Review: ‘iHunt’, by David A Hill Jr

#iHunt: Killing Monsters in the Gig Economy by [Hill, David] — Cover for the UK Kindle edition

Published By: Independently published

Publication Date: 11th August 2017

I.S.B.N.: 9781522077435

Format: Kindle & paperback

Price: £3.85 or £11.54 (paperback)

Blurb

It’s like Uber, but for slaying monsters!

Lana is a monster hunter. She kills vampires, werewolves, demons and all the other terrifying creatures of the night. She doesn’t do it because she’s the chosen one. She doesn’t do it because it’s her duty. She does it because working one job just doesn’t cut it for a millenial in Southern California.

She takes contracts using iHunt, an app which freelance monster hunters use to find profitable prey. It’s like Supernatural meets Uber, Buffy meets Airbnb, and sadly, Blade meets Fiverr.

Lana’s story is about making ends meet, about economic anxiety, and about what a person’s willing to do to pay the bills. It’s a equal parts horror, dark humor, slice of life, and social commentary on the gig economy.

She deals with the same problems other millennials face: begging the landlord to extend your rent due date until the next paycheck comes, dating guys not concerned about their partners’ orgasms, dating women who have to sleep all day because they burn in the sun, the cost of clothing you need to replace because you got into a fight with the undead, and trying to explain that the security footage where you’re killing a guy is actually a viral social experiment to advertise your new film. You know, normal millennial issues. I’m sorry, I meant to say #millenialissues. Gotta get those views!

Continue reading “Review: ‘iHunt’, by David A Hill Jr”