Though it’s been a while since I read the first book of this series, I was in the mood for some light entertainment and this fit perfectly. What to Expect Another D&D-ish adventure for the band of heroes, this one leading them to chase an evil artifact that a whole town into zombies. Naturally, they […]
Book Reviews
Book Review: Something from the Nightside, by Simon R. Green
A bit of a twist on the paranormal detective, a genre which I generally like. What to Expect What starts as a noir detective quickly moves into a bizarre world, more Alice in Wonderland on a bad acid trip than your typical paranormal detective. As the blurb says, John Taylor isn’t really a detective, just […]
Book Review: This is How You Lose the Time War, by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
This novel was all the rage a while ago, with rave reviews and an interesting premise. Took a while, but I was in the mood for something different. What to Expect A literary work on a sci-fi backdrop, telling a romance. It’s an epistolary novel, told in the exchange of letters between two operatives – […]
Book Review: Thraxas and the Warrior Monks, by Martin Scott
It’s, err… been a while since I read the first Thraxas novel. I did enjoy it, but didn’t get to the rest of the series till now. Still, the time is right for a quick and fun read. What to Expect Another case – actually several, interconnected – for our grumpy investigator. He just wants […]
Book Review: The Blood Moon Feasts on My Dreams, by Douglas Lumsden
Alex Southerland is my favourite paranormal detective (after Felix, of course), and I’m always excited to read new installments in this excellent Urban Fantasy series. What to Expect A new case for Alex, starting with a studious teenager who disappears at night without going through the front door. In a typical fashion, Alex is dragged […]
Book Review: Deathless Gods, by P. C. Hodgell
I’ve been following the Kencyrath chronicles series since it first came out 40 years ago, because it’s that good. What to Expect Another adventure for Jame, this time exploring the central lands and their various kingdoms and faiths (more or less). Things on the longer arc are happening in the background, and are nearing the […]
Writing and Polymathy
I’ve recently read Learn Like a Polymath: How to Teach Yourself Anything, Develop Multidisciplinary Expertise, and Become Irreplaceable, by Peter Hollins, and thought it had quite an interesting overlap to do with writing. It’s a short book, covering what polymathy is (and isn’t), the core idea of skill transfer, and how to break knowledge down […]
Books Review: Trapped, Hunted, and half of Besieged, by Kevin Hearne
I’ve been enjoying the Iron Druid series, more or less binge-reading it. What to Expect Trapped takes place 12 years after the previous one, Tricked. Granuaile has finished her training, and it’s time to bind her to the earth and make her a full druid. Nothing goes to plan, of course, and despite Atticus’ best […]
Book Review: The Fire Islands, by Gilbert M. Stack
I’m not sure where I first heard about this novel, but it drew my interest for obvious reasons — another reflection of Roman culture mixed with fantasy. What to Expect Expect a fantasy world loosely inspired by Ancient Rome. Marcus Venandus is a member of the legions of Aquila (the world’s version of Rome; ‘Eagle’ […]
Book Review: Pulling the Wings Off Angels, by K.J. Parker
I love KJ Parker’s works, and was in a mood for something more philosophical (while otherwise tearing through the highly-entertaining, non-brain-taxing, Iron Druid series). What to Expect A novella that explores good and evil, predestination, free will vs original sin, and a plethora of other religious themed subjects, all packaged up in Parker’s usual fantasy […]