Release Date: 13/07/16
Publisher: Forge
SYNOPSIS:
When her mother and brother are murdered, young noblewoman Accala Viridius cries out for vengeance. But the empire is being torn apart by a galactic civil war, and her demands fall on deaf ears. Undeterred, Accala sacrifices privilege and status to train as a common gladiator. Mastering the one weapon available to her - a razor-sharp discus that always returns when thrown - she enters the deadly imperial games, the only arena where she can face her enemies. But Fortune's wheel grants Accala no favours - the emperor decrees that the games will be used to settle the civil war, the indigenous lifeforms of the arena world are staging a violent revolt, and Accala finds herself drugged, cast into slavery and forced to fight on the side of the man she set out to kill. Set in a future Rome that never fall, but instead expanded to become a galaxy spanning empire, Accala's struggle to survive and exact her revenge will take her on a dark journey that will cost her more than she ever imagined.
REVIEW:
An unusual title and one that I just absolutely loved to spend time with as Claudia not only gave me one hell of adventure to set the stars on fire but delivered a principle character that I felt that i not only had a connection with but wanted to see her achieve her goals no matter how insurmountable they seemed.
The writing was crisp, the prose delightful and for me it was how Accala Viridius grew as the tale developed taking what was initially a quest for vengeance into something bigger as she starts to see the bigger picture of what she faces. All round a great start to a series and one I can't wait to see what will happen next. Magic.
Release Date: 25/08/15
Publisher: Tor/Forge
SYNOPSIS:
Rodrick is a con man as charming as he is cunning. Hrym is a talking sword of magical ice, with the soul and spells of an ancient dragon. Together, the two travel the world, parting the gullible from their gold and freezing their enemies in their tracks. But when the two get summoned to the mysterious island of Jalmeray by a king with genies and elementals at his command, they'll need all their wits and charm if they're going to escape with the greatest prize of all-their lives.
From Hugo Award winner Tim Pratt comes a tale of magic, assassination, monsters, and cheerful larceny, in Pathfinder Tales: Liar's Island, set in the award-winning world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
REVIEW:
Roleplay novel books seem to be coming into vogue recently and whilst some of the settings work extremely well for the reader, sadly for me, it feels that Pathfinder is one that really isn’t sure what it can or can’t do. Its not that the authors do a bad job, but for fans of the world already, there is a lot of the additional complex details that just aren’t needed and really slow the storytelling down whilst they have to sit back and wait for the author to infodump some background in there for the uninitiated.
It really slows the book down, it feels that there’s too much detracting from the overall arc and when you cut these out it keeps it moving smoothly as well as allowing the characters to get on with their own stuff. For me, its not a series for those unfamiliar with it and perhaps because the main readership is for fans, what would work better would be a guide to Pathfinder to be read prior to staring the novels or even to cross reference so that they can keep the tale sailing along.
All round, a book that was OK, but at the end of the day, if they keep interrupting to have to explain a lot of the details, it’s a series that for me as a reader is not going to be on my TBR list for long.
Release Date: 19/05/15
Publisher: Tor/Forge
SYNOPSIS:
On a freezing Christmas Eve in 1879, a forensic psychic reader is summoned from her Baker Street lodgings to the scene of a questionable death. Alexandrina Victoria Pendlebury (named after her godmother, the current Queen of England) is adamant that the death in question is a magically compromised murder and not a suicide, as the police had assumed, after the shocking revelation contained by the body in question, Alex must put her personal loss aside to uncover the deeper issues at stake, before more bodies turn up.
Turning to some choice allies--the handsome, prescient Lieutenant Brooks, the brilliant, enigmatic Lord Desmond, and her rapscallion cousin James--Alex will have to marshal all of her magical and mental acumen to save Queen and Country from a shadowy threat. Our singular heroine is caught up in this rousing gaslamp adventure of cloaked assassins, meddlesome family, and dark magic.
REVIEW:
A new Urban Fantasy series from an established author and one that really hits the spot as it grabs you from the opening pages presenting a Steampunk version of Sherlock Holmes that works delightfully well. The prose is pretty solid, the dialogue a real treat and when added to a whole host of characters that readers will want to spend time around all round generates something that was a pure joy to read.
Back this up with an arc that has a whole heap of twists and turns alongside an author that thoroughly knows how to throw not only a few spanners in the works but does so in such a way that the reader isn’t quite sure which way its going to turn all round gives you something that’s a real treat.
Release Date: 22/05/15
Publisher: Tor/Forge
SYNOPSIS:
A power-hungry necromancer has stolen The Book of Lost Souls, and intends to use it to resurrect an ancient race and challenge Shroud for dominion of the underworld.Shroud counters by sending his most formidable servants to seize the artefact at all cost. However, the god is not the only one interested in the Book, and a host of other forces converge, drawn by the powerful magic that has been unleashed.
REVIEW:
A fantasy of dark tellings and one that will not only grasp you by the throat but generates a story that will have you denying that its time to close the covers for sleep. It’s definitely a book that I enjoyed reading and when you throw into the mix a writing style that really helped not only push the story through but allowed you to feel fully involved in the world generates something that really will make you take notice of Mark as an author.
The prose is sharp, the characters engaging and when added to dialogue that helps the story move forward all round made this a book that I didn’t have the inclination to put down what so ever. Al round a great read and a world that I just didn’t want to leave. Great stuff.
