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 […]
Fantasy
Books Review: Penric’s Mission and Penric’s Fox, by Lois McMaster Bujold
I’ve read the first two novellas in this series before, and was looking forward to spending some more time in Penric’s unique world. What to Expect Two novellas, where the publication order is reversed to the chronological. I usually prefer to read in publication order (as that is usually the order they were written and […]
Book Review: Battle Ground, by Jim Butcher
I’ve read the first half of this story (see my review of Peace Talks) back in July, and of course I jumped straight into this novel as soon as it came out. What to Expect Expect the culmination of the two-part story starting with Peace Talks. As usual, Butcher delivers an intense thriller-paced, larger-than-life adventure […]
Book Review: How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It, by K.J. Parker
I’ve read the previous novel (Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City) just recently, and there was just no doubt I’d read this one as soon as it comes out. What to Expect Events in this book take place seven years after the previous one, with the The City still besieged all around by the […]
Book Review: The Last Wish (Introducing The Witcher), by Andrzej Sapkowski
I’ve watched The Witcher TV series first, and since my wife wanted to watch it again ahead of season 2 it was high time to read the books. What to Expect Six short stories / novelettes introducing us to the world of the Witcher, glued together with interludes that make for a seventh. We get […]
Book Series Review: The Elric Saga
I’ve been in the mood for some classic SF/F lately, and since I’ve been meaning to re-read the Elric saga this seemed like the perfect, timely choice. This post contains the review for Elric of Malniboné and The Weird of the White Wolf. Though there are different ways of ordering the series, those are the […]
Book Review: Kalanon’s Rising, by Darian Smith
Kalanon’s Rising was one of the finalists of SPFBO 2019, and the premise of magical murders mystery caught my eye. What to expect The murder of the king’s nephew (and presumptive heir) is guaranteed to draw attention. The King’s Champion, a current physician and previous war leader, is tasked with finding the murderer and resolving […]
Book Review: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, by K.J. Parker
I first saw Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City when it came out, and it caught my attention: a potentially humorous, military fantasy exploit by an author known for his historical and humorous works (KJ Parker is a pseudonym for Tom Holt). I’m glad I read it. What to expect The story starts by […]
Book Review: What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank, by Krista D. Ball
I can’t remember exactly when What Kings Ate floated past me, but given my love of both fantasy and historical foodstuffs I knew it was going to be a hit. What to expect A non-fiction that’s still light-hearted, both informative and entertaining. The author covers many aspects of food throughout history as a way to […]
Book Review: Penric’s Demon, by Lois McMaster Bujold
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Bujold’s writing, but somehow had never read them. I was in the mood for a short, light fantasy so jumped on Penric’s Demon. A few weeks later I read Penric and the Shaman, so this review will encompass both. What to Expect A quick, charming adventure of […]
