I adored the previous Alex Southerland novels, so when I got the ARC for this one I practically squealed with joy. It was worth the wait! What to Expect Another paranormal case in the wonderful urban fantasy series of Alex Southerland, PI. This time time he gets hired (coerced, more like) into helping the mayor […]
Book Review
Book Review: A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome, by Emma Southon
A book about murders in Ancient Rome? Gimme! This is a non-fiction work, covering not just the notable murders — but the Roman people’s attitudes towards killing. A great piece to understanding both the ancient world and ourselves, as we take our modern viewpoints to evaluate historical accounts. What to expect Southon does a credible […]
Book Review: The Man Who Bridged the Mist, by Kij Johnson
This novella has won both Hugo and Nebula, a big distinction. I like to occasionally read what’s the art-critics like in the genre, so delved in. What to Expect A short read where nothing much happens — this is a story delving into the way progress changes people, as viewed through the interactions on an […]
Book Review: Sweet Silver Blues, by Glen Cook
As a lover of fantasy and detectives I’ve long had Glen Cook’s Garrett Files on my TBR. This review is for the first in the series, but I expect to read through it this year. What to Expect A private detective of sorts, set in an interesting fantasy world. The tone isn’t quite a noir […]
Book Review: The King’s Gambit (SPQR #1), by John Maddox Roberts
I’ve long had Maddox Roberts’ SPQR series on my TBR list (ever since I started reading Roman whodunits — Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, et al), but it took some time to get to this series. What to Expect A political mystery set in 70 BCE, as a young official is looking into the murders of […]
Book Review: Dead Men’s Sandals, by David Wishart
I love the Corvinus mysteries, so was excited to see a new one out. What to Expect Straight off the boat on his return from the last case in Carthage, Corvinus’ is summoned by a gangster boss (a favourite recurring character) and a favour he owes is called. Now he finds himself going to Brundisium, […]
Book Review: Alexander at the World’s End, by Tom Holt
I loved Holt’s more fantasy works (especially under his KJ Parker pen-name), so was eager to try his pure historical fiction. What to Expect This is a story about the world Alexander the Great lived in (or left in ruins, depend on how you look at it), rather than about Alexander himself. It reads alomst […]
Book Review: A Dead Djinn in Cairo, by P. Djèlí Clark
I previously enjoyed Djèlí Clark’s “The Haunting of Tram Car 015“, so was looking forward to more stories set in the same world. What to Expect This story establishes the world, but many of the same elements as from Tram Car 015 are explained in either story. The stories are short and interesting enough for […]
Book Review: Something More Than Night, by Ian Tregillis
I’ve heard good things about Tregillis’ works and their historical-fantasy settings and vibes, and given that this book is a standalone (often my preference) and a noir detective to boot I was drawn. What to Expect Read the blurb, and then notch it up several degrees… sideways. Tregillis goes for high-intensity literary devices, where the […]
Book Review: Purple and Black, by K.J. Parker
I love KJ Parker’s pseudo-Byzantine fantasy, and this short read was up to his excellent standard. What to Expect An epistolary tale, a series of exchanges and communiqués between (mainly) the emperor and his fried whom he sent to govern a frontier province. (The title refers to the ink used in those missives – purple […]
