Book Reviews

Hero Forged – Josh Erikson

Hero Forged is the debut urban fantasy by Josh Erikson and part of my new resolution to step a bit more out of my epic fantasy comfort zone to try new things! I’m prefacing my review with this useful nugget of information so you don’t bring out the pitchforks when I...

The Grey Bastards – Jonathan French

I’m not a massive fan of the age-old saying “Never judge a book by its cover.” I know it’s only a metaphorical phrase, but still … if I see a cover with a crossbow-wielding half-orc riding a massive hog with four tusks then it’d better be a tale full of no-nonsense,...

Cable Ties – Bill Conrad

Cable Ties – Bill Conrad

After two enjoyable novels based on unconventional romances with supernatural elements, Bill Conrad has now switched gears and set his sights on a more grounded techno-thriller, and I am happy to say it’s possibly his best work yet. I won’t dive too deeply into the...

If It Bleeds – Stephen King

If It Bleeds is a collection of four novellas with common themes of death, change and the hardship that comes with it, things so prevalent in King’s later works. I wouldn’t say I’m a King superfan, but I have read most of his novels and as an author am somewhat in awe...

Orphans of the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein

I read quite a bit of Heinlein when I was much (much!) younger, and for some reason Universe was one of the short stories I passed on at the time. After hearing about it recently — from Stephen Colbert of all people — I thought I’d give it a try. As with all of...

Killer of Men by Christian Cameron

Killer of Men, the first in the Long War series, is a historical fiction by Christian Cameron, who is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors thanks to his uncanny ability to mix interesting characters and well-documented historical events without getting bogged...

The God Makers – Guy E. Estes

I enjoyed The God Makers, the fifth book in the Sisters of the Storm series. I must admit things got off to a bit of a rocky start: despite it being billed as a stand-alone novel the reader is thrown into the deep end with little to no explanation as to who the main...

Dark Alley Magic by P.M.F. Johnson

Dark Alley Magic was a really nice surprise. I’ve never read anything quite like it: a juicy mash-up of low fantasy and the mafia, wrapped up in a coating of female emancipation. It doesn’t sound like it would work, does it? Well, it does! The main reason it makes for...

The Wielder Trials by Franca Ogbonnaya

If you are looking for an interesting mix of Harry Potter & The Last Airbender than the Wielder Series is definitely for you. Franca hasn’t reinvented the wheel here, those familiar with YA “school of magic” stories will find a lot of similar tropes: the...