The Lies of Locke Lamora has been on my to-read list for a while — I’m glad I finally got to it. What to expect A wonderfully-built “heist” style adventure, with a dark turn towards the end. Locke Lamora is a thief, a con-man swindling the rich out of their money, in a roughly Renaissance-ish […]
Book Reviews
Book Review: Three Nights in Faral-Khazal, by David Samuels
I like indie fantasy, and with the credentials behind the novella (finalist in Baen Fantasy Adventure finalist, and an honourable mention in Writers of the Future) this looked very promising. What to expect A novella-length collection of three short stories. The story that won the above awards is the first one – Deadliest Dish. Each […]
Book Review: Orconomics, by J. Zachary Pike
Orconomics brings together humour, engaging character, and thoughtful consideration together to make excellent fantasy. What to expect The book starts on a lighthearted tone, almost a parody of classic role-playing games and their logical conclusion, by considering how would fantasy economies work with a plethora of adventurer parties running around and looting everything. Don’t be […]
Book Review: Cthulhu Armageddon, by CT Phipps
I like genre mash-ups, have loved Lovecraft’s work (and have role-played the old Call of Cthulhu RPG), and although I don’t read much dystopian works these days I was in the mood for something darker. Cthulhu Armageddon was it. What to expect The author notes in the preface that he set out to mix Mad […]
Book Review: By Demons Possessed, by P.C. Hodgell
As anyone who read my previous review of the series up to this point can imagine, I had this one on pre-order. As soon as it arrived I delved in (and the world could burn while I read — though see below how I handled it in between!). What to expect If you’ve read the […]
Book Review: Over a God’s Dead Body, by Joel Spriggs
I was in the mood for some humorous fantasy, and this novel fitted the bill perfectly. If you’re a fan of American Gods and College Humour, this is for you. What to expect A crazy tale of cluey and clueless humans and far-less-than-perfect gods, struggling over a small college town in Indiana. Old gods and […]
Book Review: Kings of the Wyld, by Nicholas Eames
I saw this book praised repeatedly on many an online source, and was in the mood for some classic, light fantasy. I wasn’t disappointed. Kings of the Wyld is tremendous fantasy, touching all the important aspects and with plenty of humour, that is sure to delight anyone who ever played D&D. What to expect If […]
Book Review: The Society of Two Houses, by William C. Tracy
Good things lie off the beaten path, and this book is one of them. It’s a short, twisty mystery set in a fantastical, unique world. What to expect This is a standalone novella in an ongoing series. Tracy does an amazing job of creating a unique world, with different alien species, a rich psychic-like magic […]
Book Review: Reasons to Kill God, by I.V. Olokita
Having grown up in Israel, I was drawn to this book by the subject matter of Nazi war criminals, especially considering the author and unique point-of-view used. What to expect The story is told by a Nazi war criminal, Klaus Holland, hiding in Brazil post WW2. When he’s found out and sent to trial, he’s […]
Book Review: Ovid, by David Wishart
You who are reading these lines will be shocked to know that I am, in fact, a Romanophile. (Well, shocked if you haven’t read my reviews of Lindsey Davis, Ruth Downie, Steven Saylor, and my constant blogging on Roman trivia…) Anyway. This book has been on my TBR for a long while, and my only […]