I was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Desert Prince prior to release via Harper Collins. This has not altered my review or thoughts on the storyI was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Desert Prince prior to release via Harper Collins. This has not altered my review or thoughts on the story.
The Desert Prince is a class act. Wonderful storytelling, flawed and believable characters and a ratcheting of tension that has you reading well into the dark hours. This is a must read....more
“Confidence before the nobility. Humility before the people. Books had a strange way of making themselves useful in your life, words sprouting up when“Confidence before the nobility. Humility before the people. Books had a strange way of making themselves useful in your life, words sprouting up when you least expected them.”
A smartly-crafted tale of Machiavellian politics, privilege and power, driven by a fantastically nuanced, flawed protagonist and wrapped in sharp, lyrical prose.
The Councillor by E. J. Beaton is politically driven fantasy with fantastic prose. A great debut that adds something fresh to the genre....more
Kings of the Wyld is a rollicking, page-turning, edge-of-your-seat road trip of a book. Great characters, loveable rogues that I genuinely cared aboutKings of the Wyld is a rollicking, page-turning, edge-of-your-seat road trip of a book. Great characters, loveable rogues that I genuinely cared about and all manner of fantastical monsters. All spiced with a sly sense of humour that had me smiling throughout.
I read Kings of the Wyld a few years ago now and absolutely adored it. Since then, two of my boys have joined the bandwagon and also loved this story. In the time that has passed I still fondly remember the wonderful band of characters that Nicholas Eames created. In my mind that is the mark of a great book.
Definitely one of the best reads of mine in recent years. It is a fun and serious story essentially driven by friendship that is written in an effective and powerful way. I think one of the many things that makes this book distinctive is that not only fantasy readers will enjoy it, but I believe that many who do not frequently delve into the genre will also gain a lot from Kings of the Wyld.
“Among them is a renegade king, he who sired five royal heirs without ever unzipping his pants. A man to whom time has imparted great wisdom and an even greater waistline, whose thoughtless courage is rivalled only by his unquenchable thirst."
It was so funny and hilarious, but what set it apart for me was its character and heart.
A TIME OF COURAGE is officially out now in the UK and US! The seventh and final book in The Banished Lands is here and it is a massive moment for me. A TIME OF COURAGE is officially out now in the UK and US! The seventh and final book in The Banished Lands is here and it is a massive moment for me. I have loved writing about the characters in The Banished Lands and hope you enjoy it. Truth and courage.
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The cover to A Time of Courage has been released. I hope you like it!
This is quite a moment for me, seeing the cover art for what is in effect the culmination of seven books and the end of 150 years history of the Banished Lands.
I'm thrilled with how this cover came out, and overjoyed at the level of detail the amazing Paul Young has put into it... There are numerous elements in this cover that make my inner-geek extremely happy - the long axe with norse runes that spell 'The Final Battle,' the stars on shields - readers of my books will know what that means. Warrior-angels and demons, a certain dapple-grey winged warrior with a seax in each fist, a white bear......more
“The wiser a man is, the more he stands ready to be educated.”
I'm useless at updating what I have read on Goodreads, as my sons constantly tell me. Bu“The wiser a man is, the more he stands ready to be educated.”
I'm useless at updating what I have read on Goodreads, as my sons constantly tell me. But here's an attempt to rectify that slightly.
I finished A Little Hatred over a year ago and of course, loved it. Joe Abercrombie is a master at what he does. From the humour, to characters, to plot. He is such a distinct writer, and someone that I know will always put out books I will love and devour. One of my favourite authors, and A Little Hatred shows me once again why he is. If you haven't already, you should dive into his works, starting with The Blade Itself....more
A big thank-you to Orbit for sending this my way. It's the first book I've read by R.J. Barker - an author I've been meaning to read for ages, as I'veA big thank-you to Orbit for sending this my way. It's the first book I've read by R.J. Barker - an author I've been meaning to read for ages, as I've heard great things, but we all know what the TBR MOUNTAINS are like, they just keep on growing.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first taste of RJ Barker's writing. THE BONE SHIPS is a whole lot of swashbuckling awesomeness, with intelligent, organic world-building and deeply likeable characters. Reminiscent of Patrick O'Brian, which can only ever be a compliment, this was a sea-fairing tale with heart, and one that picked me up and swept me along. There was a point where I could not stop reading, where I found myself thinking about the story during my day, and looking forward to when I would get back to reading it.
This won't be the last R.J. Barker book I read. Highly recommended.
I think Black Oris might have been my favourite character....more
I loved Dark Forge. It opened with a bang, a nail-biting battle scene full of Miles Cameron's trademark detailed authenticity that throws you straightI loved Dark Forge. It opened with a bang, a nail-biting battle scene full of Miles Cameron's trademark detailed authenticity that throws you straight back into the story and never lets up. I love how Cameron takes fantasy tropes and makes them feel real. Aranthur's journey from novice student to fledgling leader is spread across this book, and written brilliantly. It's a wonderful blend of epic situations and nuanced, characterful moments. And this is not just page-turning entertainment, there are genuine, thoughtful themes throughout this book that are so relatable in todays world. This is a series that is going from strength to strength. A must read....more
This was a great read - finished it a while ago but Christmas festivities got in the way of review-writing. These days I tend to lean more towards hisThis was a great read - finished it a while ago but Christmas festivities got in the way of review-writing. These days I tend to lean more towards historical than fantastical, so this was quite a change for me. Made me think of Dune, it was 1 part fantasy, one part sci-fi, and totally EPIC! Excellent characters and cool action, with a strong Egyptian feel thrown into the mix. Inventive and cerebral but grounded in character. Looking forward to the next one. ...more
Another great instalment in the 'Shadows of the Apt' series. Fantastic plot developments and twists, with some seriously epic battle scenes. Don't knoAnother great instalment in the 'Shadows of the Apt' series. Fantastic plot developments and twists, with some seriously epic battle scenes. Don't know how Adrian Tchaikovsky keeps up this kind of momentum and quality - plot, character, action, all brilliantly balanced. Loved it....more
Loved this. Found myself sneaking off to read more whenever possible, annoyed when life got in the way of my reading time. A serious page turner. EverLoved this. Found myself sneaking off to read more whenever possible, annoyed when life got in the way of my reading time. A serious page turner. Everything just clicked for me - plot, character, pace. Can't wait for the next one....more
Great book. A character-driven tale of a city facing approaching turmoil. I enjoyed all of the characters and loved how they interacted as the plots mGreat book. A character-driven tale of a city facing approaching turmoil. I enjoyed all of the characters and loved how they interacted as the plots mingled. A must read....more
Really enjoyed this - a very nice blend of genres - muskets a la Cornwell and Sharpe, an interesting mystery-to-solve thread (with my favourite characReally enjoyed this - a very nice blend of genres - muskets a la Cornwell and Sharpe, an interesting mystery-to-solve thread (with my favourite character, Adamat the retired inspector) and some serious return-of the gods magic action. A great read, written with skill....more
What a fantastic read. I can't remember when I've enjoyed a book so much. Loved the blend of historical with fantasy, the realism of medieval life comWhat a fantastic read. I can't remember when I've enjoyed a book so much. Loved the blend of historical with fantasy, the realism of medieval life combined with absorbing characters and a driving plot. I didn't want it to end, and can't wait for book 2. ...more