“If I needed to describe Empire of the Vampire, by Jay Kristoff, in one word, that word would be ‘extra.’ This gigantic epic fantasy, that reads like a cross between Interview with a Vampire and The Name of the Wind, does everything in its power to be edgier than the sharpest knife, louder than a…
Ken Liu has been quietly carving out a nook in the annals of epic fantasy, and not enough people are reading his work. The Dandelion Dynasty is enormous; a four-book series with installments that are roughly 1000 pages each. Book three, The Veiled Throne, is coming out soon, and it’s an absolute must-read. However, one…
Making the transition from novella series to a full-fledged novel is not an easy one, but today we have another example of someone who got it right. A Master of Djinn, by P. Djèlí Clark, is the fourth story in the Dead Djinn universe and the first full book. It is set in 1912 in…
The Last Graduate, by Naomi Novik, is one of the best books of the year for many readers. I don’t think that will surprise anyone who has read A Deadly Education, which was one of my top picks of last year. The Scholomance series stands out from the pack with a unique narrative experience, fabulous setting,…
I was looking for something to break up my more serious and heavy fantasy and science fiction picks when The Thunder Heist by Jed Herne caught my eye. Heist novels have always been a favorite subgenre of mine ever since The Lies of Locke Lamora paved my way back into adult fantasy many years ago.…
Continue reading ➞ The Thunder Heist – A Loud And Bright Diversion
The Actual Star, by Monica Byrne, is a massive epic that blends elements of fantasy and science fiction into a story that spans thousands of years. The story takes place over three separate storylines, each one feeding into the next like a beautiful, bizarre blueprint. The first one is set in 1012 and follows a…
When I picked up Gutter Mage by J.S. Kelley, I expected a fairly tried and true fantasy/mystery thriller based on the back of the book. What I got instead was a mix of horror, profanity, existential crises, and a tried and true fantasy/mystery thriller. The book is profound in that it manages to both be…
If I am being honest, the first thing that appealed to me about The Coward by Stephen Aryan is its stunning cover. That slick midnight blue with the gold trim makes this book stand out on the bookshelf. Luckily, The Coward is more than just a pretty face and has a personality to back up…
I am disappointed and frustrated. First, disappointed that I will likely have to give Abercrombie the title of the best book of the year a second year in a row because I hate repeating myself. Telling you that reading Abercrombie’s works is a good idea is like telling you that the sun shines - it’s…
Continue reading ➞ The Wisdom of Crowds – A Strong Closing Argument
Another year, another slamming sword and sorcery novella from Anthony Ryan. Welcome back to the newest installment of “novellas that are killing it that you have never heard of,” starring City of Songs. This is the third installment of The Seven Swords, a novella series published by the independent company Subterranean Press who are famous…
